Club World Cup: Quarterfinals Begin Today with Fluminense-Al Hilal and Chelsea-Palmeiras

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The Club World Cup is heating up. With both Inter and Juventus now out of the competition, the spotlight shifts to the quarterfinals, kicking off today with two high-stakes matchups: Fluminense vs. Al Hilal at 9:00 PM CET, and Palmeiras vs. Chelsea at 3:00 AM CET (Saturday). These two games offer tactical intrigue, personal storylines, and the desire to make history in a tournament that has already delivered its share of stunning upsets.

Fluminense vs. Al Hilal: Inzaghi Faces His Past (9:00 PM CET)
At Camping World Stadium in Orlando, we’ll see a quarterfinal few could have predicted before the Round of 16. Many expected an Inter vs. Manchester City showdown—but reality wrote a different story: Inter were soundly beaten by Fluminense, while City fell in extra time to Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal.

The former Inter manager pulled off a tactical masterclass against City, and now sets his sights on the semifinals—on a side of the bracket that, on paper, appears less daunting than the one loaded with Europe’s elite clubs.

Fluminense, led by the evergreen Thiago Silva, will be without suspended left-back René and will likely revert to a 4-3-3 setup with Arias and Canobbio out wide and Nonato in midfield. Inzaghi welcomes back Salem Al-Dawsari and is expected to unleash a front three with Malcom and Marcos Leonardo. Keep an eye on Ruben Neves, who drops deep at times to form a temporary back three and anchor possession.

Chelsea vs. Palmeiras: The Estêvão Derby (3:00 AM CET)
Another emotionally charged matchup will unfold in Philadelphia—a personal derby for Estêvão, the Brazilian wonderkid who will soon join Chelsea but is currently lighting it up at Palmeiras, playing just behind Vitor Roque. The Verdão eliminated Botafogo but must now cope with the absences of Gustavo Gomez and Piquerez. Abel Ferreira will rely on individual brilliance and a flexible 4-2-3-1 formation full of attacking options.

Chelsea will counter with a youthful, hungry lineup. Without Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez is expected to play further forward, flanked by Pedro Neto and Palmer. Up front, Delap is likely to start, with Badiashile and Colwill anchoring the defense. The Blues are aiming to reach the semifinals and reaffirm their international rise after recent continental success.

Below is a full breakdown of the upcoming matches and the path to the final.

📅 Club World Cup 2025 – Quarterfinals

📈 Path to the Final