LAFC has secured the last ticket to the big dance, rallying to defeat Club América, 2-1, in a FIFA Club World Cup playoff that required extra time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Former LAFC attacker Brian Rodríguez had given América a 64th-minute lead from a VAR-assisted penalty kick, and the Liga MX powers seemed to have done just enough to claim a win that will be worth nearly $10 million at a minimum.
However, Igor Jesus’ 89th-minute header leveled the scored, saving LAFC, and in extra time Denis Bouanga — the club’s most important player in recent years — added to his legend by firing home the winner in the 115th minute.
The win sends LAFC into the Club World Cup, where they will join English giant Chelsea, Tunisian club Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and Flamengo, arguably the most well-supported club in Brazil.
Why was there a Club World Cup playoff between LAFC and Club América?
LAFC and Club América were in a playoff due to a convoluted series of events that could only happen when you get Concacaf and FIFA together to sort out a new tournament format.
Initially, the last four winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup — Monterrey, the Seattle Sounders, Club León, and Pachuca — were set to take places in the Club World Cup. However, Club León and Pachuca share owners, something FIFA said cannot be permitted at the Club World Cup. FIFA eventually decided that León was disqualified, and announced a playoff between LAFC (the team León defeated in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup) and Club América (the top-ranked Concacaf team in FIFA’s rankings for Club World Cup purposes).
León, Pachuca, and Costa Rican club Alajuelense all appealed, with Alajuelense arguing that as Central America’s top-ranked team, they should be admitted, but all were rejected. That leaves the final spot in Group D up for grabs, with Saturday’s winner claiming the place.
When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
- Group Stage: June 14-June 26
- Round of 16: June 28-July 1
- Quarterfinals: July 4-5
- Semifinals: July 8-9
- Finals: July 13
What teams are in FIFA Club World Cup?
There are 32 teams in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that have been separated into eight groups of four for the round-robin group stage in June. Here’s how the field breaks down
Group A
- Al Ahly FC (Egypt)
- FC Porto (Portugal)
- SE Palmeiras (Brazil)
- Inter Miami (United States)
Group B
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
- Atlético de Madrid (Spain)
- Botafogo (Brazil)
- Seattle Sounders FC (United States)
Group C
- FC Bayern München (Germany)
- Auckland City FC (New Zealand)
- CA Boca Juniors (Argentina)
- SL Benfica (Portugal)
Group D
- Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
- CR Flamengo (Brazil)
- Chelsea FC (England)
- LAFC (United States)
Group E
- CA River Plate (Argentina)
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
- CF Monterrey (Mexico)
- Inter Milan (Italy)
Group F
- Fluminense FC (Brazil)
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Ulsan HD (South Korea)
- Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa)
Group G
- Manchester City (England)
- Wydad AC (Morocco)
- Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates)
- Juventus FC (Italy)
Group H
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
- CF Pachuca (Mexico)
- FC Salzburg (Austria)
How to watch FIFA World Cup 2025: TV, streaming options
Every match during the 2025 FIFA World Cup will be live streamed for free on DAZN.com, which is the exclusive global broadcaster of the event.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match schedule
GROUP STAGE
Saturday, June 14
- Group A: Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ET (Miami)
Sunday, June 15
- Group C: Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati)
- Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California)
- Group A: SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Group B: Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders, 10 p.m. ET (Seattle)
Monday, June 16
- Group D: Chelsea vs. LAFC, 3 p.m. ET (Atlanta)
- Group C: Boca Juniors vs. Benfica, 6 p.m. ET (Miami)
- Group D: Flamengo vs. Espérance de Tunis, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
Tuesday, June 17
- Group F: Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Group E: River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle)
- Group F: Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, 6 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida)
- Group E: Monterrey vs. Inter Milan, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California)
Wednesday, June 18
- Group G: Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
- Group H: Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. ET (Miami)
- Group H: Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg, 6 p.m. ET (Cincinnati)
- Group G: Al Ain vs. Juventus, 9 p.m. (Washington, D.C.)
Thursday, June 19
- Group A: Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. ET, (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Group A: Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ET, (Atlanta)
- Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. ET (Seattle)
- Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California)
Friday, June 20
- Group C: Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida)
- Group D: Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
- Group D: LAFC vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. ET (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Group C: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, 9 p.m. ET (Miami)
Saturday, June 21
- Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati)
- Group E: Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle)
- Group F: Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Group E: River Plate vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California)
Sunday, June 22
- Group G: Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
- Group H: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Group H: FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. ET (Washington, D.C.)
- Group G: Manchester City vs. Al Ain, 9 p.m. ET (Atlanta)
Monday, June 23
- Group B: Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California)
- Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle)
- Group A: Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. ET (Miami)
- Group A: Porto vs. Al Ahly, 9 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Tuesday, June 24
- Group C: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte)
- Group C: Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. ET (Nashville)
- Group D: Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
- Group D: LAFC vs. Flamengo, 9 p.m. ET (Orlando)
Wednesday, June 25
- Group F: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD, 3 p.m. ET (Cincinnati)
- Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ET (Miami)
- Group E: Inter Milan vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. ET (Seattle)
- Group E: Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena)
Thursday, June 26
- Group G: Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. ET (Washington)
- Group G: Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET (Orlando)
- Group H: Al Hilal vs. Pachuca, 9 p.m. ET (Nashville)
- Group H: FC Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia)
FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16
Saturday, June 28
- Match 49: Winners of Group A vs. Group B runner-up (Philadelphia)
- Match 50: Winners of Group C vs. Group D runner-up (Charlotte)
Sunday, June 29
- Match 51: Winners of Group B vs. Group A runner-up (Atlanta)
- Match 52: Winners of Group D vs. Group C runner-up (Miami)
Monday, June 30
- Match 53: Winners of Group E vs. Group F runner-up (Charlotte)
- Match 54: Winners of Group G vs. Group H runner-up (Orlando)
Tuesday, July 1
- Match 55: Winners of Group F vs. Group E runner-up (Atlanta)
- Match 56: Winners of Group H vs. Group G runner-up (Miami)
FIFA Club World Cup Quarterfinals
Friday, July 4
- Match 57: Winners of Match 49 vs. Winners of Match 50 (Philadelphia)
- Match 58: Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54 (Orlando)
Saturday, July 5
- Match 59: Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52 (Atlanta)
- Match 60: Winners of Match 55 vs. Winners of Match 56 (East Rutherford)
FIFA Club World Cup Semifinals
Tuesday, July 8
- Match 61: Winners of Match 57 vs. Winners of Match 58 (East Rutherford)
Wednesday, July 9
- Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs. Winners of Match 60 (East Rutherford)
FIFA Club World Cup Final
Sunday, July 13
- Match 63: Winners of Match 61 vs. Winners of Match 62 (East Rutherford)
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