FIFA gives Club World Cup new opening day for Messi, Inter Miami
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FIFA published the 63-game schedule Saturday for the first 32-team edition, two days after making the draw in Miami. The draw ceremony involved Ivanka Trump on stage after President-elect Donald Trump sent a prerecorded video message to congratulate FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino. FIFA has now brought forward the opening game to a Saturday, at an 8 p.m. local time start at Hard Rock Stadium for Messi and the hometown team to play Al Ahly of Egypt. The kickoff time is 3 a.m. in Cairo.
MetLife Stadium was already announced as hosting the final on Sunday, July 13 – at 3 p.m. local time (9 p.m. in central European prime time) – and FIFA said Saturday the venue also will stage the two semifinals on July 8-9 and the fourth quarterfinal on July 5. A four-game Sunday for day two of the tournament starts at midday in Cincinnati for Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City and continues at midday in Pasadena for Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl.
The other two games that Sunday are Palmeiras vs. Porto, at 6 p.m. local time at MetLife, and Seattle Sounders hosting Botafogo at 7.pm. local time. Real Madrid starts on June 18 with a 3 p.m. local time start in Miami against Al Hilal and Manchester City starts earlier that day, at midday in Philadelphia against Wydad Casablanca. Two of the biggest Europe vs. South America pairings have been given kickoff times that are 3 a.m. in central Europe: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors in Miami on June 20 and Inter Milan vs River Plate in Seattle on June 25. FIFA said its match schedule aimed to maximize rest and minimize travel for players and took forecast heat and weather into account. The two West Coast locations – Pasadena and Seattle – stage only group-stage games with all round of 16 games being played in Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando and Philadelphia. Quarterfinals also are in Atlanta, Orlando and Philadelphia.
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