Champions League Final vs Club World Cup Play-In: A Clash of Contrasts in Soccer
The stage is set in Munich, Germany, as the 2025 Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan ignites at 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. local time. This blockbuster event is a showdown between two behemoths, rich and talented, who are also among the favorites at this summer’s Club World Cup.
But the real hype is building in North America, where LAFC and Mexican powerhouse Club América will face off at 10:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. local time in Los Angeles. The winner of this game will secure at least $9.55 million in guaranteed prize money and a global stage that neither club has ever had before.
This novel game is happening due to a unique situation created by FIFA’s regulations for the Club World Cup. The initial field for the 32-team, quadrennial club tournament had been set since the fall, with North America’s representatives seemingly finalized when Pachuca won the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. However, in October, FIFA released new regulations that prohibited the participation of two clubs who share an owner. This led to the expulsion of León, the 2023 CONCACAF champs, from the tournament due to their shared ownership with Pachuca.
FIFA then had to find a replacement, and chose LAFC and Club América based on their rankings. This one-off “play-in” game is a perfect high-stakes appetizer for the Club World Cup, which has been met with skepticism and resistance. With a need to sell tickets, broadcast rights, and sponsorships, FIFA has reached for star power, giving Inter Miami a “host country” berth and talking up the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo joining one of the qualified teams.
Meanwhile, the Champions League final is set to be one of the most-watched sporting events on Earth in 2025, even without Real Madrid, Barcelona, or an English Premier League power. The appeal of this competition is simple: it’s the Champions League. For 70 years, the best clubs in Europe have battled for supremacy, and inevitably, special things have happened. So, you wouldn’t dare bet against more special things on Saturday.
The Champions League final will feature PSG and Inter Milan, who might not give us a 13- or nine-goal thriller but will surely give us drama and emotions that will sell themselves. While the Club World Cup playoff is a manufactured hype built in months rather than decades, it epitomizes the contrasts between the two tournaments. The Champions League is a competition with a long history and a simple appeal: it’s the best clubs in Europe battling for supremacy.
