Club World Cup final preview: PSG aiming for historic quadruple

This summer's expanded FIFA Club World Cup brought together 32 teams from around the globe and all six confederations to compete in a knockout competition that took place in 11 cities across the United States. 

We’re now down to the final two clubs: reigning UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain of France and Chelsea of the English Premier League. 

Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s final (3 p.m. ET) at MetLife Stadium in New York. 

The format         

Sunday’s game is a straight knockout final. If the score is tied after 90 minutes of regulation time, it will go to 30 minutes of extra time and penalty kicks (if necessary) to determine the winner.  

How the teams arrived at the final  

Chelsea finished second in Group D to advance to the knockout round. The Blues opened group stage play with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC of MLS in Atlanta. After suffering a 3-1 loss to eventual group winner Flamengo of Brazil in Philadelphia, Chelsea rebounded with a 3-0 victory over Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis, also in Philadelphia. 

That was followed by a 4-1 extra time win over Benfica in the round of 16 in Charlotte, a 2-1 win over Brazilian outfit Palmeiras in the quarterfinals in Philadelphia and a 2-0 victory against Fluminense of Brazil in the semifinals in New York. 

Paris Saint-Germain finished atop Group B to move on from the group stage. After posting a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in Pasadena, the French side came back down to earth when it suffered a 1-0 defeat to Brazil’s Botafogo, also in Pasadena. PSG got back on track with a 2-0 win against the Seattle Sounders of MLS in Seattle. 

The reigning European club champions brushed aside Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 4-0 in the round of 16 in Atlanta, blanked Bayern Munich 2-0 in the quarterfinals (also in Atlanta) and then registered another 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the semifinals in New York. 

The matchup 

Paris Saint-Germain enters Sunday’s final as the firm favourite based on its status as the reigning European club champions, and its amazing run in the knockout stage of this tournament that saw it win all three of its games by a combined score of 10-0. 

Manager Luis Enrique has an embarrassment of attacking riches at his disposal, including Ballon d’Or top contender Ousmane Dembélé — the French forward already has two goals in this tournament. The Spanish tactician’s side relies on its youth to run opponents into the ground, as evidenced by their big win over Real Madrid in the semifinals when only one member of the starting 11 (veteran Marquinhos) was over the age of 30. 

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has a tough decision to make. Brazilian striker Joao Pedro, 23, scored a brace against his boyhood club Fluminense in the semifinals, marking his full debut for Chelsea in style. But does Maresca go back to Pedro for Sunday’s final or rely on someone with more big game experience? He also needs to find a way to contend with PSG’s counterattack, which has been positively ruthless in this competition. 

Paris Saint-Germain aiming for a historic quadruple 

It’s been a remarkable 2024-25 season so far for Paris Saint-Germain, and it could get even better. PSG won the UEFA Champions League for the first time when they blasted Inter Milan 5-0 in last month’s final in Munich.  

That barnstorming victory came on the heels of the club winning the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France. A win on Sunday could convert the club’s first-ever treble into a historic quadruple. 

“We are in a special season, a special moment, and we have one more step against a very good team like Chelsea. Now it’s time to prepare. We want to make history for our club,” PSG manager Luis Enrique said. 

Chelsea chasing a second FIFA Club World Cup title 

Chelsea was crowned FIFA Club World Cup champions when it beat Brazil’s Palmeiras 2-1 in the final in the United Arab Emirates. The Blues were also defeated finalists in 2012 in Japan when they lost to Corinthians, also of Brazil. 

Chelsea is attempting to become the first English team to win the FIFA Club World Cup for a second time. 

"It is a great achievement. It has been a fantastic season — top four in the Premier League, [winning the UEFA] Conference League and now in the final of this competition,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. 

PSG vs. Chelsea: A history  

Sunday’s final will be the ninth meeting between the two European club giants, who faced off against each other on six occasions during a three-year spell from 2014-16. 

Things didn’t go too well for PSG the first time they played Chelsea, suffering a 3-0 home loss in the group stage of the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League. The teams also played to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge. 

PSG took control of their quarterfinal series in the 2013-14 Champions League with a 3-1 home win in the first leg. But Chelsea stormed back with a 2-0 victory in the second leg to advance on the away goals rule. 

The French club turned the tables on their English opponents by advancing on the away goals rule in the round of 16 in the 2014-15 competition and recorded another round of 16 victory over Chelsea the following season thanks to a pair of 2-1 wins. 

Players to watch on Sunday 

Fabián Ruiz, Paris Saint-Germain — The Spanish central midfielder is PSG’s top scorer at this competition with three goals, including a first-half brace in his side’s 4-0 demolition job of Real Madrid in the semifinals. It was a man-of-the-match effort from Ruiz, who also completed 71 of his 76 passes (93 per cent) and made a pair of important tackles before being subbed out in the 66th minute. 

Pedro Neto, Chelsea — Like Ruiz, the Portuguese winger leads his team in scoring at this competition with three goals, including a strike in Chelsea’s 4-1 extra-time win over Benfica in the round of 16. Neto’s all-out performances also helped him rank among the tournament leaders in scoring chances created and successful 1v1 attempts.