Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Major League Soccer powerhouse Inter Miami will raise the curtain on a new era of the FIFA Club World Cup when both sides lock horns at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, June 15.
With the expanded tournament format making its debut in the United States, this opening fixture promises fireworks, passion, and a fascinating clash of football cultures.
Al Ahly are the most successful club in Africa and will head to the US with a legacy built on decades of dominance.
In contrast, their opponents are relative newcomers to the global showcase, but they enter the fray with star power, momentum, and an expectant home crowd.
As the first of many intriguing matchups in the Club World Cup, this game sets the tone for what could be a landmark tournament.
Given the importance of the occasion, it wouldn’t be surprising if Al Ahly SC vs Inter Miami tickets become a hot commodity on Seatsnet.com in the build-up to the curtain raiser.
Match Preview
Both teams arrive in Group A as champions. Al Ahly qualified automatically after securing the CAF Champions League title in three of the last four editions – 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Their dominance across Africa is undisputed, and they enter this tournament as one of the most decorated clubs on the planet, boasting a staggering 12 CAF Champions League crowns and 45 Egyptian league titles.
Meanwhile, Miami earned a spot by winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield after a historic campaign that saw them top the regular season standings.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced their qualification in a major milestone for Miami. They become only the second MLS side to feature in the Club World Cup after Seattle Sounders.
Al Ahly and Miami are grouped alongside Brazilian champions Palmeiras and Portuguese powerhouse Porto. The top two teams will move on to the knockout stage, so each side will be looking for a fast start.
If Miami finishes as group winners, they will take on the runners-up from Group B, which could be either Botafogo, Seattle Sounders, Atletico Madrid, or UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
A second-placed finish would pit them against Group B winners. Javier Mascherano’s Miami side head into the tournament in fine form.
Since losing 3-0 to Orlando City, they’re unbeaten in their last three games and have secured back-to-back MLS wins for the first time since March.
They held Philadelphia Union to a 3-3 draw before clinching a comprehensive 4-2 win over CF Montreal and demolishing Columbus Crew 5-1.
That run was inspired by football icon Lionel Messi. The 37-year-old bagged a brace and an assist against Philadelphia and followed that up with two goals and two assists against Columbus.
While Miami will expect a huge crowd to cheer them on against Al Ahly, most supporters will buy Club World Cup tickets just to see the eight-time Balon d’Or winner in action.
Now, with a week of rest and preparation, the Herons turn their focus to the Club World Cup. They’ll need every ounce of that momentum as they prepare to face tough opponents in Group A.
Al Ahly have dominated African football and have come close to spreading their tentacles to the global stage on several occasions.
Their best tournament run in the Club World Cup is a semi-final appearance, but they’ve also finished third several times, so Miami have their work cut out.
Team News
Miami would be hoping to welcome some of their injured players back in time for the opening fixture against Al Ahly on June 15.
Mascherano is sweating over the fitness of midfielder Baltasar Rodriguez, who has been ruled out until mid-June. He’s facing a race against time to be available for the curtain-raiser.
David Ruiz and Yannick Bright are also stuck in the infirmary.
Unlike Rodriguez, these two may not even be able to feature in the tournament, so Mascherano will likely turn to experience and reliability in his midfield setup.
Veteran Sergio Busquets could partner the energetic Federico Redondo in the middle of the park, while Messi and Luis Suarez lead the line.
Defensively, things are also far from ideal. First-choice goalkeeper Drake Callender and centre-back Gonzalo Lujan have both been ruled out.
In their absence, Oscar Ustari is likely to take up goalkeeping duties, while the youthful Noah Allen could partner Maximiliano Falcon in central defence.
Miami aren’t the only team navigating injury troubles. Al Ahly have also seen key players hit by fitness concerns ahead of their journey to the United States.
However, there is some relief for their fans. Mohamed Abdullah has been nursing an injury since the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, but he has been declared fit to travel.
Karim Fouad has rejoined Al Ahly training after recovering from a long-term cruciate ligament injury, but his place in the squad still hangs in the balance.
Ahmed Abdelkader continues his recovery after picking up an injury while on loan at Qatar SC, while Reda Slim has started light jogging as part of his rehabilitation.
However, he remains unavailable for selection, effectively ruling him out of the tournament.
Inter Miami potential starting line-up:
(4-4-2): Oscar Ustari; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcon, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Tadeo Allende, Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez.
Al Ahly potential starting line-up:
(4-3-2-1): Mohamed El Shenawy; Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Mostafa El Aash, Ahmed Nabil Koka; Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Amr El Solia; Taher Mohamed, Achraf Bencharki: Wessam Abou Ali.
Prediction
Al Ahly’s rich history in African football certainly counts for something. It will give them a fighting chance in the Club World Cup, but Miami will also be out to prove they deserve their spot.
The Egyptian champions don’t have a prolific goal-scorer, and they certainly can’t match the spending power of their American counterparts.
However, there are no clear favourites in Group A which could work in Al Ahly’s favour. A decent result against Miami in the opener could set the tone for a decent run in the tournament.
There’s not much separating these two sides aside from Messi. Three goals and four assists in his last two games is plenty of preparation for the Argentine phenom.
If he’s on his game, he could single-handedly win the game for Miami. And with Suarez and Busquets backing him up, you wouldn’t bet against Miami making a winning start to the tournament.
Inter Miami 2-1 Al Ahly
