Pre-Season Friendlies 2025 (Incl Club World Cup - Winners: Chelsea)

[RossFC]

Prem teams friendlies updated here:

Premier League clubs' pre-season fixtures and results

See when and where Premier League sides are preparing for the new season

www.premierleague.com

Club World Cup groups, starting mid-june

 

[chef]

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Prem teams friendlies updated here:

Premier League clubs' pre-season fixtures and results

See when and where Premier League sides are preparing for the new season

www.premierleague.com

Club World Cup groups, starting mid-june
View attachment 2331444

Joke of a competition. You could query why half the teams are even there.

 

[moomba]

Joke of a competition. You could query why half the teams are even there.

All bar one or maybe two have either won their confederation championships in the past four seasons or are one of the top ranked clubs in their confederation.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Competition in a non-football dominant nation with a lot of the teams involved not actually deserving of a spot in the tournament. Shocked to be sitting here.

 

[Satan]

Competition in a non-football dominant nation with a lot of the teams involved not actually deserving of a spot in the tournament. Shocked to be sitting here.

And spectators not willing to travel to the usa

 

[moomba]

Competition in a non-football dominant nation with a lot of the teams involved not actually deserving of a spot in the tournament. Shocked to be sitting here.

Which teams are not deserving of a spot?

 

[sydney_gws]

I think the idea is ok, probably better to be 16 teams though. It is a packed calendar though, the problem for Fifa is that Uefa has over a 4 year period 5 of the best competions ( 4 champions leagues and the Euros for countries), FIFA only 1 ( the world cup).
Uefa has expanded its competitions ( increased Champions league, Euros from 16 to 24 teams),
Fifa " has" to keep up.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Which teams are not deserving of a spot?

Auckland City - Oceania is a joke confederation that really should be absorbed into AFC.





Pathetic confederation. Shares its HQ with a rugby club, swim centre and futsal/tennis centre. A confederation with a small hut as its HQ should not only be absorbed into a bigger confederation but shouldn't get access to this. The Oceania CL competition is lopsided farce that almost always sees Auckland FC win or another NZ team. Them getting access to guaranteed millions for merely being the only semi-pro club in its confederation is farcical and only serves to ensure that no one else will compete with them going forward if every 4 years they get this FIFA sugar hit of cash.

UEFA - Fair enough City, Chelsea, Madrid as recent winners.

Salzburg don't deserve to be there. 18th on the 4 year coefficient. Only there because of a stupid rule about country limits.

Atletico who've never won the UCL get in but Barca who are 5 time winners (neither made a final last 5 seasons btw) aren't allowed to compete.

Porto - Past winners and UCL regulars but have just 4 QF appearances since their 2004 win, and the last 4 years is GS, QF, R16 and R16.

Benfica - another in because others are ineligible. Similar to Porto with middling performance in recent seasons. Haven't got past a QF since the 89/90 season.

Juventus - also in because others aren't eligible. Recently removed from European Competition and couldn't even get to the R16 this season gone.

As for CAF, AFC, CONCACAF their entrants making a good case for this to be best 16. Trim CONMEBOL and UEFA down from 6 and 12, and remove African, North American and Asian "co-efficient" qualifiers.

I'm sure we'd all be devastated to miss out on Mamedlodi Sundowns or LA FC...

 

[moomba]

Auckland being in is one of the great stories of the comp. Just like in the world cup there are limits on how many teams from each confederation can participate I think it's spot on that that there are limits on how many clubs from each country can qualify.

And not sure what relevance Barcas 5 champions league are, the last one was over a decade ago. Having teams qualify for a competition because of historic success is exactly where you get the situation where undeserving teams qualify for tournaments.

I just hope it doesn't expand. From an English point of view I love that it's bloody hard to qualify for the comp, maybe even needing a champions league to do so.

 

[omgfridge]

Bayern v Auckland

 

[Frank Bunn]

The Club World Cup already proving to be a joke tournament. Bayern Munich beating Auckland City 10-0.

 

[RPCB]

The Club World Cup already proving to be a joke tournament. Bayern Munich beating Auckland City 10-0.

Today will have been the best day of those Auckland City players football careers.

Still a glorified preseason competition though.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

That tin shed that OFC operate from really helped prepare Auckland for this match...

 

[RPCB]

Good for the Auckland City players. They’ve gone to the CWC and every player in their squad has a near 100% chance to grab a full International footballers shirt in all three matches that they will be playing in.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Today will have been the best day of those Auckland City players football careers.

Still a glorified preseason competition though.

It's not meant to be a jolly for part time players. It's supposed to be a serious competition. But 10 nil between the 6th ranked club in the world and the 5,074th makes it hard to take seriously.

 

[Jatz]

Don't really see the issue with them taking part.

Unless Oceania ceases to exist as a federation, they're entitled to compete.

 

[chef]

I dont know why some are getting upset about this tournament, just dont watch it.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

It's not meant to be a jolly for part time players. It's supposed to be a serious competition. But 10 nil between the 6th ranked club in the world and the 5,074th makes it hard to take seriously.

Sorry mate, opinions critical of the CWC seemingly aren't allowed today.

 

[chef]

It's not meant to be a jolly for part time players. It's supposed to be a serious competition. But 10 nil between the 6th ranked club in the world and the 5,074th makes it hard to take seriously.

It's just the group stage though, there's always going to be mismatches.

Reading about the players and their stories what an amazing moment for them.

 

[Frank Bunn]

It's just the group stage though, there's always going to be mismatches.

Reading about the players and their stories what an amazing moment for them.

Of course it's nice for the players but they haven't earned it. If they had got through a qualifying round or two then good luck to them, Like if a non-league team gets into the 3rd round of the FA Cup or the Welsh champions got into the group stage of the CL.

 

[chef]

Of course it's nice for the players but they haven't earned it. If they had got through a qualifying round or two then good luck to them, Like if a non-league team gets into the 3rd round of the FA Cup or the Welsh champions got into the group stage of the CL.

Didnt they earn their right to be at this Club World Cup by winning a continental tournament?

 

[Frank Bunn]

Didnt they earn their right to be at this Club World Cup by winning a continental tournament?

The OFC Champions League has a qualifying round

 

[chef]

Nice goal from Neto