Sundowns’ Kennedy Mweene welcomes expanded version of FIFA World Club Cup

Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper coach Kennedy Mweene has explained why the expanded FIFA World Cup presents a great opportunity for an African team to win the tournament in the USA.

The new format for the 2025 edition, features 32 teams; 12 teams from Europe, six from South America, four from Asia, four from Africa, four from North, Central America and the Caribbean, one from Oceania, and one team from the host nation.

The teams are drawn into eight groups of four, with each team playing three group stage matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final.

Mweene, who is part of the Sundowns squad for the tournament, featured in the 2016 edition with the old format, but believes the new format will be a great opportunity for African teams to win a competition on the global stage.

"I think it's really good news for Africa, because last time, only one or two African clubs took part. This time around, it's about four,” said Mweene, as quoted by SABC Sports. “We just have to show what we're made of when we're that side. It won't be easy, but we must showcase the very best of South African and African football.”

On his experience in the competition, Mweene said: “There are a lot of memories attached to this competition for me. The last time I played in this competition was in 2016. At that time, it was our first experience of the old Club World Cup, but now I'm here in a different capacity.

“The team has been growing in leaps and bounds. We have a few youngsters in our group, but it's important that we go out there and compete.”

Sundowns find themselves in Group F, alongside South Korea’s Ulsan HD, Brazil’s Fluminense, and their biggest challenge – German heavyweights Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid hold the record for most titles, having won the competition five times. Corinthians’ inaugural victory remains the best result from a host nation’s national league champions. Teams from Spain have won the tournament eight times, the most for any nation.

England has the largest number of winning teams, with four clubs having being crowned the champions of the tournament. The current champions are Manchester City, who defeated Fluminense 4-0 in the 2023 final.