--- title: "Mamelodi Sundowns eye progress as Fifa unveils ambitious Club World Cup group stage" description: "Fifa took another step towards the birth of its rejigged and controversial Club World Cup with a group stage draw in Miami, which formally pitted the 32 participants against each other for the 2025 tournament." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "REVAMPED TOURNAMENT" author: "Yanga Sibembe" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/yanga-sibembe/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-12-06-mamelodi-sundowns-eye-progress-as-fifa-unveils-ambitious-club-world-cup-group-stage/" published: "2024-12-06T13:48:24" updated: "2024-12-06T13:48:27" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 558 --- # Mamelodi Sundowns eye progress as Fifa unveils ambitious Club World Cup group stage > Fifa took another step towards the birth of its rejigged and controversial Club World Cup with a group stage draw in Miami, which formally pitted the 32 participants against each other for the 2025 tournament. By Yanga Sibembe · Published 6 December 2024, 15:48 SAST · Updated 6 December 2024, 15:48 SAST ## Key points - In a bold display of defiance against player unions, Fifa is charging ahead with its grand plans for an expanded Club World Cup in 2025, where South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns will rub shoulders with global giants, while coach Rulani Mokwena hopes to keep his job long enough to face off against his idol, Pep Guardiola. - Fifa presses ahead with its controversial expanded Club World Cup, set to debut in June 2025, despite legal challenges from player unions. - The group stage draw in Miami revealed South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns will compete against Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense, and Ulsan HD. - Coach Rulani Mokwena, currently with Wydad Casablanca, may face Pep Guardiola if he retains his position and advances to the tournament. - The revamped tournament will feature 63 matches across the US, moving to a quadrennial format to enhance its global appeal and prestige. ## Content Despite facing legal action from player unions, world soccer governing body Fifa is pushing on with its preparations for its expanded Club World Cup, which is set to launch in June 2025. In another major step towards the tournament becoming a reality, a group stage draw was held in Miami, Florida. The 32 hopefuls learnt their fate, including South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. > The [#FIFACWC](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) group stage draw. ✔️[#TakeItToTheWorld](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)[pic.twitter.com/4GOctX7MgI](https://t.co/4GOctX7MgI) > > — FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) [December 5, 2024](https://twitter.com/FIFACWC/status/1864761842557685956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Masandawana are in a fair group and will be confident of qualifying for the next round as one of the top two in the four-team mini-league. The 2016 African champions are grouped alongside Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense of Brazil and South Korean side Ulsan HD. Another potential South African representative at the US-hosted spectacle is coach [Rulani Mokwena](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-10-13-young-and-hungry-for-success-rulani-mokwena-an-avid-scholar-of-the-beautiful-game-and-life/), although his participation will depend on whether he keeps his job with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca. Mokwena has had a challenging start in Morocco since leaving Sundowns at the end of last season. Wydad currently sit fourth in the Moroccan Premier Division, with five wins, four draws and three defeats from 12 matches. Should Mokwena carry on to the World Cup, he will have an opportunity to take on his coaching role model — Pep Guardiola of Manchester City. The South African coach has never hidden his admiration for his Spanish counterpart. Also in Wydad’s group are Italian giants Juventus, as well as Al Ain, of the United Arab Emirates. ![Rulani Mokwena during the Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates joint press conference at Nedbank Offices on May 30, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/jaeybeh1LH8ho9OkW8XfhVP_ayQ=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/TL_2222081-1.jpg) *Coach Rulani Mokwena. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)* ![Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Etihad Stadium on December 04, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ecscVbS5A3VBvKQrIstHcgN9i2Q=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188382537.jpg) *Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City. (Photo: James Gill — Danehouse / Getty Images)* ![FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Draw at Telemundo Studios on December 05, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Brennan Asplen/Getty Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/l4Qi4EIn2MUpu0HPHfoKd9b8Py4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188404748.jpg) *Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents the Fifa Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 draw at Telemundo Studios on 5 December 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Brennan Asplen / Getty Images)* “You play three very good teams — Man City, of course, with the pedigree, you know the quality you will get. Juventus are Juventus, strong… And Al Ain are the Asian champions. So, when you play in a group like this you can’t lose,” Mokwena said in reaction to the draw. Despite a legal threat from player unions, as well as [widespread accusations](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-15-ballooning-sports-schedules-pose-ongoing-welfare-challenge-for-global-athletes-at-their-peak/)of unilaterally conceptualising the tournament without considering player welfare, Fifa boss Gianni Infantino said he was excited to see what the World Cup would bring. “It’s about inclusivity, it’s about bringing clubs from all over the world, the 32 best clubs and best players from all over the world together,” Infantino said at the draw ceremony. Moving away from its annual format, the World Cup will take place every four years, a year prior to every national World Cup, which is also quadrennial. The previous iteration of the tournament — which had been contested since 2000 — featured six continental champions, plus a club from the host nation, facing off within a week of action-packed soccer. However, in that guise, it could never quite garner the hype and prestige of the national team version of the World Cup. Only the supporters of the participating teams were truly invested in it, hence Fifa felt the need to rejuvenate the tournament and exploit its true potential. For the 2025 edition, 63 matches will be played across 12 venues in the US, with each team in the group stages playing each other once. **DM**