فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Wydad Athletic Club from Casablanca kicked off their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, held in the United States, with a defeat against the English powerhouse Manchester City on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
This match was part of the highly competitive Group 7, which also includes Italian club Juventus and UAE’s Al Ain. Despite a strong performance and the support of their passionate fans in the stadium, Wydad fell short against their formidable opponent.
Wydad qualified for the tournament as the 2021-2022 CAF Champions League winners and is one of four African clubs representing the continent alongside Egypt’s Al Ahly, Tunisia’s Espérance de Tunis, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. The club is the first Moroccan team to participate in this expanded edition of the competition, which now features 32 teams and will run until July 13.
Under the leadership of their new coach, Mohamed Amine Benhachem, Wydad prepared extensively for this global event by strengthening their squad with new signings, including Syrian striker Omar Al Soma, Brazilian player Guillermo Ferreira, and former Moroccan international Nordin Amrabat.
The team aims to improve on previous disappointing campaigns, having been eliminated in 2017 after losses to Mexico’s Pachuca (1-0) and Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds (3-2) in the UAE, and again in 2022 after a penalty shootout loss to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal (5-3 after a 1-1 draw) in Rabat.
Wydad’s next matches are scheduled against Juventus on June 22 at the same Philadelphia stadium, followed by a clash with Al Ain on June 26 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
The new edition of the FIFA Club World Cup features the top clubs from all six continental confederations. Since its inception in 2000, the tournament was a smaller-scale event, but recent expansions aim to elevate the competition’s prestige and global appeal.
Matches are being held across 11 stadiums in 12 U.S. cities, spanning the East Coast (New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami), the Midwest (Cincinnati, Nashville), and the West Coast (Seattle, Los Angeles).
