ZURICH/MIAMI: Inter Miami, to no-one’s surprise, have been added by FIFA to the field for the controversial expanded 32-team Club World Cup next year.

The tournament, which has sparked unrest among top players as an added encumbrance in the international calendar, will be staged in the United States from June 15 to July 3.

One slot was held for the host nation and FIFA has awarded it to Inter Miami. The club, starring Leo Messi and co-owned by David Beckham, won the MLS Supporters Shield for the club with the best regular game season. The other contenders will be 12 teams from Europe, six from South America plus 12 from Asia, Africa and North America.

Messi celebrated by scoring a hat-trick in a 6-2 win over New England Revolution to help Inter Miami break the MLS’s regular-season points record.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club on the field of play. Therefore, I am proud to announce that as one of the best clubs in the world, you are deserved participants in the Club World Cup 2025.”

Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez could come up against Chelsea and Manchester City, who have already qualified for the tournament. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto and Benfica are other representatives from Europe.

The 32nd spot in the tournament will be awarded to the winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores. Matches will be played across eight venues in the US – including at Inter Miami’s Hard Rock stadium – with the final to take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The victory in their final game of the 34-match regular season took Miami to 74 points and meant they beat the previous record of 73 points set by the Revolution in 2021.

Miami went 2-0 behind against the Revolution following goals from Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero. A Luis Suarez double levelled the match before the introduction of Messi after 58 minutes helped Miami kick on to claim victory. The 37-year-old, who scored a hat-trick in midweek for Argentina against Bolivia, played a part in Benjamin Cremaschi putting Miami 3-2 in front.

Messi scored his first goal of the match when he powered in a left-foot shot from just outside the area after combining with former Uruguay international Suarez. He then side-footed in a second before adding his third – and 20th of the MLS season – following a Suarez cross.

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