Palmeiras vs Porto

Palmeiras vs. Porto: A Clash of Titans in the Club World Cup Opener

One of Brazil’s biggest clubs, Palmeiras, will face Portuguese giants Porto in their opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup this Sunday in New Jersey.

Palmeiras booked their spot by winning the 2021 Copa Libertadores, while Porto secured their place thanks to UEFA’s four-year ranking system, finishing fifth.

The São Paulo side has been on a roll lately, winning back-to-back Brasileirão titles after their consecutive Copa Libertadores triumphs. Now, they’re hungry to add another global trophy to their cabinet.

Despite falling just short in the 2024 Brasileirão—finishing second behind Botafogo—Palmeiras remain one of Brazil’s strongest contenders in the revamped Club World Cup. With Group A also featuring Al Ahly and Inter Miami, expectations are high that they’ll advance deep into the knockout stages.

Their form this year has been impressive. In the Copa Libertadores, they stormed through the group stage with five straight wins—the only team not to trail at any point. Domestically, they strung together an eight-game winning streak in the Brasileirão, keeping seven clean sheets along the way. But back-to-back losses, including a crucial defeat to Flamengo, have seen them slide to fourth.

This will be Palmeiras’ third appearance at the Club World Cup, and they’re eager to improve on their 2021 runner-up finish, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the final. Now, they’ll be looking to secure Brazil’s first CWC win over a European side since 2012—and make history in the first-ever intercontinental clash between Brazilian and Portuguese clubs.

Porto’s Uphill Battle

While Palmeiras are seasoned at this stage, Porto are making their Club World Cup debut—though they do have experience in its predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, which they won in 1987 and 2004 as European champions.

However, their chances of lifting the trophy this summer look slim. The Dragons finished third in Portugal’s Primeira Liga last season, repeating their 2023-24 disappointment. It’s the first time since the mid-1970s that they’ve failed to finish in the top two in consecutive campaigns, with Lisbon’s Benfica and Sporting instead dominating.

Porto started the season strong by winning the Portuguese Super Cup, but their form dipped afterward. They suffered an early exit in the Taça de Portugal, fell in the League Cup semifinals, and were knocked out of the Europa League’s playoff round.

Under manager Martin Anselmi, Porto enter this match as underdogs against Palmeiras. Their fate in Group A may well hinge on how they fare against Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly in the following games.