2025 FIFA Club World Cup set for thrilling last eight showdowns
Image: Yuri Cortez/AFP
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has reached the quarter-final stage, and the margin for error is gone. With only eight teams left, each one is chasing a place in the final four—and a chance to make history as the first winners of the expanded 32-team tournament.
The tournament hasn't just offered a global platform for competition; it's also given every remaining side a real opportunity to do something no club has done before.
As excitement builds and fatigue starts to show—with many players coming off long domestic seasons and minimal rest—the teams with sharper tactics and deeper squad-depths are likely to separate themselves. Here's a look at the four quarter-final fixtures set to take place this weekend.
Fluminense vs Al Hilal (Friday 9pm, SAT)
Al Hilal has been the surprise package of the tournament. They've proven they're not at the tournament to make up numbers and have shown that they can go toe-to-toe with Europe's elite.
After holding Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the group stage, they shocked Manchester City with a 4-3 extra-time win—one of the biggest upsets of the competition so far.
Fluminense have also impressed, especially with their 2-0 win over Inter Milan in the last 16. Both teams have shown no fear and plenty of attacking intent, and this matchup could deliver more surprises as two underdogs continue to defy expectations.
Palmeiras vs Chelsea (Saturday 3am, SAT)
Chelsea has had a relatively smooth path so far, with their 4-1 extra-time win over Benfica being their toughest test. Manager Enzo Maresca will be wary of the added minutes and physical toll the competition is taking, especially with the season already stretching beyond its usual end.
Palmeiras, fresh off a tight 1-0 extra-time win over rivals Botafogo, will be hoping to catch Chelsea off-guard. The English side remainss the favorite, but Palmeiras has the structure and discipline to cause problems.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich (Saturday 6pm, SAT)
This is the standout fixture of the round—two of the favorites facing off in a clash worthy of the final.
PSG bounced back from a shocking 1-0 group-stage defeat to Botafogo to top their group, while Bayern finished second in theirs and had to overcome a tough test against Flamengo, eventually winning 4-2.
Both teams head into this one off the back of strong domestic seasons, and with little to separate them, this could come down to key moments. Whoever wins here will likely be seen as the frontrunner for the title.
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund (Saturday 10pm, SAT)
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