…As UCL champions takes on Conmebol giants Botafogo
By Folusho Alade
As the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 enters day 6 on Thursday , likely round of 16 teams could emerge as Group B leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Botafogo clash at the Rose Bowl. A win for either could secure their spot with a match to spare depending on the result of Atlético de Madrid-Seattle Sounders, in which both teams are under pressure after opening-match defeats.
Match Day-1 Press Conferences on 19 June (all times local)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Chelsea FC – 13:30 CR Flamengo – 17:30
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
CA Boca Juniors – 13:30 FC Bayern Munchen – 18:45
GEODIS Park, Nashville
Esperance de Tunisie – 18:45 Los Angeles Football Club – 20:15
Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando
Auckland City FC – 18:45 SL Benfica – 21:15
Matches on 19 June (all times local)
Match 17 – Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly FC
12:00 – MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey
Match 18 – Inter Miami CV vs. FC Porto
15:00 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Match 19 – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atletico de Madrid
15:00 – Lumen Field, Seattle
Match 20 – Paris Saint-German vs. Botafogo
18:00 – Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles
Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly FC
The Verdão played out an entertaining 0-0 draw against FC Porto in their first game, failing to find a breakthrough despite managing 17 attempts and six on target. Eighteen-year-old prodigy Estêvão, who will join Chelsea FC at the end of the tournament, was named the Michelob ULTRA Superior Player of the Match and will hope to continue to impress in this encounter.
Twelve-time CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly were involved in their own goalless stalemate against Inter Miami CF in the opening match of the new global football showpiece. The Egyptian outfit, who had a first-half Trezeguet penalty saved by Óscar Ustari in Miami, have now played 28 games in FIFA club competitions, more than any other team.
Inter Miami CV vs. FC Porto
Javier Mascherano’s charges – who won the Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield (awarded to the team with the best regular-season record) for the first time last year – had Óscar Ustari to thank for a goalless draw in their opening game against Al Ahly FC, after the Argentinian goalkeeper saved a first-half penalty from Egyptian star Trezeguet.
There has yet to be a goal scored in Group A, with Porto having played out a stalemate of their own against SE Palmeiras at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey. However, the game was not without its drama and featured plenty of chances for both sides; the second round of action in Group A promises to be just as enthralling.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atletico de Madrid
The Sounders kicked off their campaign against Brazilian heavyweights Botafogo in front of a raucous 30,000-strong crowd on Sunday evening. Trailing 2-0 at half-time, the Rave Green halved the deficit in the 75th minute through Cristian Roldán, and despite a late onslaught on the Fogão‘s goal, they failed to find an equaliser.
Atlético endured a tough start to their tournament, with Diego Simeone’s men losing 4-0 to European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the sides’ opener. The seven-time UEFA competition winners will be looking to bounce back immediately and put some points on the board in this encounter.
Paris Saint-German vs. Botafogo
In their opening match, PSG continued their fine goalscoring form, running out 4-0 winners over Atlético de Madrid on Sunday in a game that saw a record-breaking crowd of 80,619 descend on the same venue that will host this encounter. Les Parisiens – who are the first French side to grace a FIFA tournament – have prevailed in each of their last six games in all competitions, which have yielded an impressive 21 goals.
Botafogo also opened their tournament campaign with a win, overcoming Seattle Sounders FC in front of a partisan home crowd at Lumen Field. First-half goals from Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus were enough to see the Brazilians to a 2-1 victory, however, Renato Paiva’s side had to withstand a spirited second-half comeback from the Sounders.
In a related development FIFA as part of its efforts to protect its participants and make football a safe space, FIFA has marked this year’s International Day for Countering Hate Speech by reiterating its commitment against hate in football and disclosing the latest figures of its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which is in place at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
