FIFA staff based in Miami wanted the 2025 Club World Cup to lean more heavily on smaller MLS stadiums, hoping FIFA would avoid empty seats and that hot-ticket events would boost revenues.

FIFA Club World Cup is officially underway, as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami played in a scoreless draw against Al Ahly in Group A action.

The FIFA Club World Cup opener was a scoreless draw, lacking a magical Lionel Messi moment in Miami Gardens, Florida.

In the world of sports, certain names will always loom large. For modern soccer fans, it's impossible to overlook Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar might not be the biggest man around, but his resume towers over the competition.

Thirty-two clubs from around the world will compete in the Club World Cup, which begins Saturday night when Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosts Al Ahly, the champions of the Egyptian Premier League. Messi and Miami are +100 favorites on the three-way moneyline for Saturday’s curtain-raiser.

After more than a year of uncertainty and criticism, the Club World Cup kicked off in Miami, and soccer may never be the same.

The opening game of the FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled tongiht at Hard Rock Stadium featuring Inter Miami FC and global star Lionel Messi.