Al Ahly vs Inter Miami Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | Group Stage

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The first game of the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup takes place at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens with Egyptian giants Al Ahly taking on the star studded Inter Miami.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV & online: UK – DAZN & Channel 5 / US – DAZN

Al Ahly team news: New signings could feature

Al Ahly's expected line-up remains to be seen as they have a handful of newcomers who could well feature. Nejc Gradisar and Ashraf Dari could both feature and it will be interesting to see how new coach Jose Riveiro decides to approach this game. They will look to in-form Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali for inspiration in attack.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): El-Shenawy; Mohamed Hany, Achraf Dari, Ahmed Ramadan, Yahia Attiyat Allah; Hamdi Fathi, Emam Ashour, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet; Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Wessam Abou Ali, Achraf Bencharki

Unavailable: N/A

Questionable: N/A

Inter Miami team news: Star men all fit to start

Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano can count on all of his key players as they came through unscathed from international duty. The only concern is over Jordi Alba who picked up a knock a couple of weeks ago and he is doubtful but he could well push through to make this game.

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Ustari; Weigandt, Falcon, Martinez, Alba; Allende, Busquets, Redondo, Segovia; Messi, Suárez

Unavailable: N/A

Questionable: Jordi Alba (Injured)

Key stats

• Al Ahly are the most successful club in Africa having won the CAF Champions League a record total of 12 times. This is seven more than any team.
• Al Ahly earned their place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ with their CAF Champions League successes in 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24. Their hopes of a third successive title ended in the semi-finals of the 2024/25 edition on away goals against Mamelodi Sundowns.
• Al Ahly secured a record-extending 45th Egyptian Premier League title on 28 May with a 6-0 win against Pharco in their final league fixture of the season.
• Al Ahly have won their last six competitive matches (all in the Egyptian Premier League), scoring 21 goals in the process.
• Al Ahly won their only previous FIFA club competition encounter against US opposition, a 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC in the second round of what is now known as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™  in Morocco in February 2023.
• Wessam Abou Ali scored eight goals in Al Ahly’s last six matches in the Championship Round of the 2024/25 Egyptian Premier League, this included four goals in their 6-0 victory against Pharco in their final fixture which saw them crowned as champions. The in-form striker has scored four goals in ten FIFA World Cup qualifying appearances for Palestine since making his international debut in June 2024.
• Inter Miami earned their place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ by winning the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield - the trophy given to the team with the best overall record during the MLS regular season - securing the spot reserved for one club from the host nation.
• In winning the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, Inter Miami broke the all-time MLS record for the most points in a single season completing their 2024 campaign with 74 points.
  Inter Miami are still seeking their first Concacaf Champions League title, they lost out in the semi-finals of the 2024/25 edition to Vancouver Whitecaps (1-5 agg; 0-2 a, 1-3 h).
• Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez were all team-mates in a famously successful Barcelona side that also included their current coach at Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano. All five played in the UEFA Champions League final victory over Juventus in 2015 and the intercontinental showpiece against CA River Plate later the same year.
• Lionel Messi holds the record as Inter Miami’s leading scorer in all competitions having scored 49 goals in 59 appearances for the club since he joined in July 2023.
• Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez and Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy were on opposing sides when Uruguay defeated Egypt 1-0 on Matchday 1 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
   

Al Ahly vs Inter Miami prediction

Al Ahly were denied a 13th CAF Champions League title last month when they suffered a surprise defeat to the Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-finals. Jose Riveiro’s side head into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup looking to spring something of a surprise in Group A, which does perhaps lack some of the heavyweights of the tournament.

They take on an Inter Miami side that have endured a difficult couple of months with Javier Mascherano at the helm. The Floridians, who boast the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, have overcome that blip of late, having restored hammered both Montreal and Columbus Crew at home.

It is easy to look at the likes of Messi and co and expect them to have too much quality but Al Ahly should not be underestimated. They have plenty of quality and their younger team could pose issues with their energy against an ageing Miami side.

We can see this being a lively opener and one that could contain plenty of goals so while we have a marginal preference for the Egyptian side, we are taking both teams to score in this one.

Al Ahly vs Inter Miami tip: Both teams to score