WITH PULGAR ON THE FIELD, CHILE HAS THE LAST FRIENDLY BEFORE THE COPA AMÉRICA THIS TUESDAY

On Saturday night (28), at an event held in Central Park, New York, FIFA announced the venues for the new Club World Cup, which is scheduled to take place between June 15th and July 13th, 2025. , in the United States. The tournament will feature 32 teams from all over the world.

Champions in past editions of the Libertadores, Fluminense, Flamengo and Palmeiras are guaranteed to participate in the tournament. Brazil will be able to reach four representatives if Atlético-MG or Botafogo win the South American competition in 2024.

The tournament will follow the pattern of recent World Cups: eight groups formed, with four clubs in each and with the two best advancing. After the end of the group stage games, the World Cup will be in a knockout format, with a single match in each phase.

In total, there will be 11 cities and 12 stadiums for the tournament. The decision will take place at the MetLife Stadium, in New York, on July 13th.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)

TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)

Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)

Rose Bowl (Los Angeles)

Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)

GEODIS Park (Nashville)

MetLife Stadium (New Jesey)

Camping World Stadium (Orlando)

Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)

Lumen Field (Seattle)

Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)

The competition

The new Club World Cup could have up to 63 games with 32 teams that will be divided into eight groups formed with four teams each. The two best advance and, from the round of 16 onwards, the competition will be in the knockout format. The management of the international federation projects revenue of US$ 2.5 billion (R$ 14 billion).

The tournament will be held every four years , with the following distribution of places: 12 from Europe, six from South America, four from North and Central America, four from Africa, four from Asia, one from Oceania and another representing the host country.

On Saturday afternoon (28), Flamengo held its last training session before facing Athletico-PR in the Brasileirão. A clash that could decide the future of coach Tite at Mengão, was attended by all the players considered to be starters, despite the expectation of a mixed team for Sunday (29).

In content published on social media of Flamengo, names like Bruno Henrique and Alex Sandro, who were starters in the Libertadores elimination, last Thursday (26), appear alongside young fledglings, such as Matheus Gonçalves and Evertton, who have been widely used in the “reserve team ” by Tite.

With his destiny becoming more uncertain at Flamengo, Tite may having led his last training session as coach of Rubro-Negro. There are four games without a win, a bad result, or poorly presented football against Athletico-PR, could mean the end of the line for the coach, just under a year after his arrival.

In the semi-finals of Copa do Brasil, where they face Corinthians, and in the G4 of the Brasileirão, Rubro-Negro's objective is clear, to become CdB champion, and remain in the classification zone for the next Libertadores in the points championship.

This last Tuesday (10), Chile ended up being defeated by Bolivia 2-1. Thus, the Chilean team is going through a new crisis and now occupies the penultimate place in the World Cup Qualifiers table. World 2026. Former Flamengo midfielder, Arturo Vidal cited Erick Pulgar and criticized coach Ricardo Gareca.

To be able to criticize the moment the Chilean team is going through, Vidal used his own Kick channel, on YouTube. Currently at Colo-Colo (CHI), the midfielder criticized the Argentine coach's substitutions.

“I wanted Vicente Pizarro alongside Erick Pulgar or Esteban Pavez. These are players who know Carlitos Palacios and know the right moment to pass the ball”, said the former Flamengo player.

In addition to highlighting that he is against Gareca's substitutions, the former Flamengo player was emphatic that say that the Chile team should not have changed coaches. It's worth remembering that the Chilean federation fired Eduardo Berizzo in November 2023.

“I'm speechless, it hurts me a lot (losing at home to Bolivia). It doesn't make sense to lose like that, having players […] I don't understand some decision-making. He is respected because he is the coach, but I don't understand the approach. It's difficult to talk now […] I would never have changed Eduardo Berizzo. The press is disgusting, the only thing it does is ruin the team”, commented the midfielder who played for Flamengo.

See you At the moment, Chile has five defeats, two draws and just one victory in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, occupying ninth place in the league table. Peru is at the bottom, with three points. Remembering that only the first six countries in the Qualifiers qualify for the world competition.