Messi’s Inter Miami Face Al Ahly in Club World Cup Curtain-Raiser

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup gets underway this Sunday at Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium with a high-profile clash between Inter Miami and African giants Al Ahly. As Sports Mole reports, the two sides kick off Group A, which also features FC Porto and Palmeiras.

Al Ahly enter the tournament as three-time CAF Champions League winners in the past four years and hold 12 continental titles—third-most in the world. Following a recent Champions League semifinal exit to Mamelodi Sundowns, the Egyptian club parted ways with Marcel Koller and appointed Spaniard José Riveiro, who will make his competitive debut on the sidelines.

Inter Miami, meanwhile, boast arguably the most star-studded roster in MLS history, featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Coached by Javier Mascherano, the Herons qualified for the tournament after a record-setting Supporters’ Shield campaign in 2024 but have struggled for consistency, winning just four of their last 12 matches despite recent emphatic victories over Montreal and Columbus.

Team news suggests that Al Ahly will field Wessam Abou Ali up front after his red-hot domestic playoff form, while Inter Miami are set to rely on the Messi-Suarez duo in attack. Fitness doubts linger over Gonzalo Lujan and Jordi Alba, but goalkeeper Oscar Ustari is back in contention.