Portuguese American Journal

Community | SL Benfica and FC Porto playing in the 2025 Club World Cup – FIFA, US

Portugal’s two most relevant football clubs, FC Porto and SL Benfica, are officially set to represent the Portuguese nation on the world stage at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, taking place for the first time in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025.

This marks the first time both clubs will participate in an international tournament of this scale on American soil — a moment of pride for Luso-American communities across the country.

The tournament, organized by FIFA and modeled after the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, will feature eight groups of four teams each, comprising a total of 32 clubs from around the globe. The top two teams from each group will advance to the final rounds.

Both Lisbon giants competing in the 2025 Club World Cup,  Benfica, competing in Group C, while Porto will line up in Group A. Matches will be hosted across major American cities, including Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Seattle, and East Rutherford (NJ). The final will be played at MetLife Stadium.

“This is more than a tournament — it’s a celebration of our heritage,” said José Pereira, president of a Portuguese-American cultural association in Newark. “To see Benfica and Porto playing in US stadiums is a dream come true.”

The tournament will be watched closely not only in Portugal but across the Lusophone world and among Portuguese diaspora communities, particularly in the United States, where Portuguese-American fans in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Florida and California, where the tournament offers a unique opportunity for fans to see Portugal’s top clubs in action on American soil.

“This is history for all of us,” said José Martins, a lifelong fan from New Bedford, Massachusetts. “To see Benfica and Porto compete at this level, here in America, is a dream for the Portuguese community.”

DAZN holds exclusive global broadcast rights; all 63 matches to be streamed for free, accessible via the DAZN app and website on most devices. Fans in unsupported countries can use a VPN to stream from a supported region.

FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino described the event as “a celebration of world club football,” as an opportunity to “bring fans closer to their teams from every corner of the globe,”  and a preview of the excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup which the US will co-host with Mexico and Canada.

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) is the global governing body for association football, futsal, and beach soccer. It was founded in 1904 and has expanded to include 211 member associations. FIFA sets the rules of the game, organizes international tournaments, and promotes the development of football globally. 

Scheduled Games

SL Benfica (Group C)

SL Benfica, based in Lisbon and the record 38-time Portuguese league champion, will compete in Group C, facing:

Bayern Munich (Germany)June 24 3:00 pm (Miami)

Boca Juniors (Argentina) June 16, 6;00 pm (Orlando)

Auckland City FC (New Zealand) June 20, 12:00 pm (Charlotte)

FC Porto (Group A)

FC Porto, 30-time Primeira Liga champions and twice European Cup winners, enter Group A, drawn with:

Palmeiras (Brazil) June 15, 6:00 pm (E.Rutherford)

Al Ahly (Egypt) June 19, 3:00 pm (Atlanta)

Inter Miami CF (USA) June 23, 9:00 pm (E.Rutherford)

 

PAJ/Staff

Follow Us

facebook twitter

Advertisement

Advertisement




Archives