Bayern and Dortmund's possible Club World Cup opponents

>>> The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 explained

Bayern's consistent performances in the UEFA Champions League over the four-year qualifying period (2021-2024), when they reached at least the quarter-final stage each season, secured their Club World Cup ticket via the UEFA rankings pathway.

Germany's record champions have been placed in pot 1 for the draw, meaning they cannot face Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Flamengo (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), River Plate (ARG) or Fluminense (BRA) until the knockout rounds.

Instead, they will be paired with one team from each of pots 2, 3 and 4 in one of eight four-club groups. However, because clubs from the same member association (country) cannot be grouped together, they will avoid Bundesliga rivals Dortmund - in pot 2 - in the group stage.

BVB also qualified for the finals via the four-year ranking pathway, measured on their performances in UEFA competition football between 2021 and 2024. They will be drawn alongside one team from each of pots 1, 3 and 4.

The general principle is that no group can feature more than one team from the same confederation. However, since UEFA have 12 representatives and there are eight groups, it means four of the groups will contain two European clubs.

Watch: Dortmund and Bayern met in Der Klassiker on 30 November

Teams in the round-robin groups play each other once. The top two from each group progress to the round of 16, the start of a direct single-match knockout stage until the final. There will be no third-place match.

The Club World Cup will take place across 12 venues in the USA from from 15 June to 13  July 2025.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 draw pots in full

Pot 1

Bayern Munich (GER), Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Flamengo (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), River Plate (ARG), Fluminense (BRA)

Pot 2

Borussia Dortmund (GER), Chelsea (ENG), Inter Milan (ITA), Porto (POR), Atlético Madrid (ESP), Benfica (POR), Juventus (ITA), Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)

Pot 3

Al Hilal (KSA), Ulsan HD (KOR), Al Ahly (EGY), Wydad Casablanca (MAR), Monterrey (MEX), León (MEX), Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA)

Pot 4

Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), Al Ain (UAE), Espérance de Tunis (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Pachuca (MEX), Seattle Sounders (USA), Auckland City (NZL), Inter Miami (USA)

FIFA have also confirmed that, for scheduling purposes, both clubs from the USA – Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders – will be automatically allocated to fourth position in groups A and B respectively. Inter Miami will play in the opening match of the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, while the Sounders will open their campaign at Lumen Field, Seattle, soon afterwards.

The full match schedule comprising the stadium and kick-off time for each fixture will be finalised and published once the draw has taken place.