The inaugural tournament of FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup concludes when the current European champions, Paris Saint-Germain, compete against Chelsea in Sunday’s championship match at MetLife Stadium, with notable attendees including Donald Trump.
This is precisely the kind of high-profile encounter FIFA president Gianni Infantino envisioned to conclude the competition, which he characterized on Saturday as ushering in the “golden era of club football.”
Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca, conceded prior to the match that PSG are “likely the premier team globally at this juncture,” and the French club aims to punctuate an exceptionally successful season by achieving a remarkable clean sweep of titles.
PSG secured a domestic league and cup double before lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy for the first time in their history, achieving a record-breaking 5-0 victory against Inter Milan in the final held at the close of May.
Luis Enrique’s squad has maintained this impressive form throughout the Club World Cup, scoring four goals against Atletico Madrid in the group stage and another four against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, prior to overcoming Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
They then delivered a masterful performance, dominating Real Madrid with a 4-0 triumph in the semi-final on Wednesday.
“This has been a phenomenal season, and it’s crucial for us to conclude it in the most exceptional way possible,” stated Luis Enrique during his press conference on Friday.
It would be considered an upset if Chelsea were to secure the championship against a PSG team featuring Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembele.
Nevertheless, the London club arrived in the United States having recently finished fourth in the Premier League and having won the UEFA Conference League.
“They are currently one of the most in-form teams worldwide, but this is the final, a single, decisive match,” commented Chelsea’s Reece James.
“Most people consider them strong favorites, but I’ve participated in numerous finals where we were favored and didn’t emerge victorious.
“That doesn’t hold significant weight for me, and I’m indifferent to the widespread acclaim the opposition is receiving.”
Chelsea was hopeful that their key midfielder, Moises Caicedo, would recover sufficiently from an ankle twist sustained during their semi-final victory over Fluminense on Tuesday.
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The championship match is scheduled to take place at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline serving as a scenic backdrop. This venue, home to NFL franchises the New York Giants and New York Jets, will also host the final of the 2026 World Cup.
