Messi gets Club World Cup under way in Miami

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, right, and Al Ahly's Mohamed El Shenawy shake hands prior to the Club World Cup group A soccer match between Al Ahly and Inter Miami in Miami, Fla., Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup kicked off on Saturday with Lionel Messi leading Inter Miami against Egypt’s Al Ahly at an almost full Hard Rock Stadium.

Fears of a low crowd for the opening game eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up with the stadium almost full at kick-off time.

Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12 times African Champions League winner and 45-times Egyptian league titles, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium well ahead of kick off.

The stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, witnessed chaotic scenes last year at the final of the Copa America between Argentina and Colombia where fans broke into the ground after long delays to enter.

But there was a filter system set up for ticket and security checks well away from the stadium perimeter and there were no signs of any problems.

This is the first edition of the new expanded format for the tournament which features clubs from every continent and concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.