Rabat – Inter Miami and Al Ahly will meet in the FIFA Club World Cup today at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The match will bring together two clubs from different continents: Al Ahly from Africa and Inter Miami from North America.
Kick off is at 1:00 a.m. Morocco time (GMT+1) and fans can catch the action live. MBCMasr 2, Showmax, TNT, TBS, truTV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV.
Inter Miami enters the Club World Cup under Javier Mascherano, who took over in December 2024 after Gerardo Martino stepped aside. The team qualified as the host nation’s representative.
Lionel Messi’s teammates had an inconsistent season during the 2025 Major League Soccer season, currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference with 8 wins, 3 losses, and 5 draws, totalling 29 points. Their attack has been strong, scoring 36 goals in 16 matches (averaging 2.25 goals per game), but they have been shaky at the back, conceding 27 goals.
Miami’s continental campaign ended in disappointment, after they got knocked out in the quarter-final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Canadian club Vancouver on 5-1 aggregate.
Mascherano will depend on Oscar Ustari as keeper, with Noah at left-back, with Maximiliano Falcón as a centre-back.
Sergio Busquets sits in front of the back four, while Messi and Luis Suárez, who scored a combined 15 league goals this season, will spearhead the attack.
Jordi Alba will miss the first game due to muscle strain, but Ryan Sailor Ian Fray will miss the entire tournament due to injury
Al Ahly enters the tournament with momentum after clinching the Egyptian Premier League title. They have been dominant in their League, leading the table with 17 wins, 7 draws, and just 1 loss in 24 matches. Their frontline has been impressive, scoring 52 goals while conceding only 18, maintaining a strong defensive record.
Their CAF Champions League triumph in 2024 secured their qualification to the first edition of the tournament.
Al Ahly coach José Riveiro had only two weeks to prepare for the opener against Miami after he replaced Marcel Kolle.
With seasoned players like Ali Maâloul, Percy Tau, and Mohamed El Shenawy, the team will be eyeing a deep run in the competition. Morocco internationals Achraf Dari and Yahia Attiyat Allah are fit, while Reda Slim remains in rehabilitation for a knee injury and will not travel with the team.
Defensively, Karim Fouad returns after a 10-month ACL injury, while Wessam Abou Ali has recovered from his instep issue.
In midfield, Emam Ashour, Al Ahly’s top scorer with 19 goals, is joined by Mahmoud Trezeguet, who is registered but yet to debut. Up front, Abou Ali, with 16 goals and 4 assists, carries much of the attacking responsibility.
Possible Lineups:
Inter Miami (4-2-3-1) : Oscar Ustari, Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcon, Héctor Martínez, Noah Allen; Tadeo Allende, Sergio Busquets; Federico Redondo, Telasco Segovia, Lionel Messi; Luis Suárez
Al Ahly (4-3-3): Mohamed El Shenawy; Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Mostafa AlAash, Yahia Attiyat Allah, Ahmed Nabil Koka; Emam Ashour, Marwan Attia; Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Abou Ali, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet
Prediction
Having home advantage and star players like Messi and Suárez, Inter Miami will press high, while Al Ahly will defend and rely on the counters.
Verdict: Inter Miami 2-1 Al Ahly.
