By Sama Marwan,
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed on Sunday that Al Ahly squandered a golden opportunity to secure a historic victory in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup, currently taking place in the United States.
Al Ahly played to a goalless draw against Inter Miami in the tournament’s opening game, part of Group A, which also includes Palmeiras (Brazil) and Porto (Portugal).
CAF wrote on its official website:
“The stage was set — sweltering heat, stands filled with red-clad fans, and a promising debut for new Al Ahly coach José Ribeiro. But the long-awaited celebration for Cairo’s faithful was not to be. The Egyptians failed to capitalize on their dominance and let two valuable points slip away in Group A of the FIFA Club World Cup.”
CAF added:
“In Miami, the Egyptian champions missed a golden chance to claim victory. Al Ahly drew 0–0 with Inter Miami in a match filled with regret, as their players repeatedly squandered clear-cut chances.”
The report continued:
“The missed penalty by Mahmoud Trezeguet was the turning point in the match. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy delivered an outstanding performance, particularly in the final moments with exceptional saves that preserved the draw.”
CAF concluded:
“Al Ahly must now defeat Palmeiras in their next game on Thursday to keep their hopes alive of reaching the Round of 16 in the FIFA Club World Cup.”
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 – Tournament Format
The tournament follows the same format as the latest edition of the FIFA World Cup for national teams, featuring 32 clubs divided into 8 groups, each containing 4 teams. The top two from each group advance to the Round of 16, where the knockout stage begins, culminating in the final.
Al Ahly began their Club World Cup campaign in front of a massive crowd against Inter Miami, led by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. They will next face Palmeiras and Porto in the group stage.
The winners and runners-up of the 8 groups will move on to the knockout rounds, which will be held all the way through to the final, scheduled to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.
Team Allocation for Club World Cup 2025
The 32 teams have been allocated as follows:
UEFA (Europe): 12 teams
AFC (Asia): 4 teams
CAF (Africa): 4 teams
CONCACAF (North, Central America & Caribbean): 4 teams
CONMEBOL (South America): 6 teams
OFC (Oceania): 1 team
Host nation (USA): 1 team
