Chelsea FC continue to thrill their fanbase at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ and now stand within one more victory of global glory.
Here, FIFA details how Enzo Maresca’s men moved through the group stage and thee knockout matches to book their place in the final of the tournament.
Group Stage
Chelsea FC 2-0 LAFC
Chelsea swept past LAFC in their opening match in Atlanta. The Blues had over 60 per cent possession and nearly 20 attempts at goal. They opened the scoring in the first half through the rapid Pedro Neto. After the break, talismanic midfielder Enzo Fernandez added the second, as the Maresca machine looked to be gathering steam.
CR Flamengo 3-1 Chelsea FC
Neto picked up where he left off in Chelsea’s first match, opening the scoring within the quarter-hour. But that would be the high of the Blues’ night. A second-half barrage from Flamengo turned the game on its head before Nicolas Jackson sealed Chelsea fate, sending his team down a man for a stamp on a Flamengo defender. Brazilian substitute Wallace Yan added to Chelsea’s misery netting shortly before the 90 minutes was up.
Espérance 0-3 Chelsea FC
Maresca made eight changes to his side as Chelsea entered their final group match needing a result to reach the knockout stage. Espérance frustrated Chelsea for much of the first half, but the Blues strike twice in stoppage time to effectively seal their passage to the last 16. Tosin Adarabioyo headed in the first, before new signing Liam Delap slotted his shot into the far corner. Promising youngster Tyrique George added a third in the second half as Chelsea made changes in preparation for the knockouts.
Round of 16
SL Benfica 1-4 Chelsea FC
Chelsea and Benfica played a thrilling four-hour match in Charlotte in which Chelsea netted four times. The Blues scored early through captain Reece James and were set to win before the game was delayed due to inclement weather. After returning to the field, Angel Di Maria scored a late penalty to send the game into extra time. Determined to avoid penalties, Chelsea’s attackers came to the rescue. Christopher Nkunku, Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all scored to set the Blues up for their match with Palmeiras.
Quarter-final
Palmeiras 1-2 Chelsea FC
The Blues netted once in each half to punch their ticket to the semi-finals. Cole Palmer opened the scoring, slaloming past two Palmeiras defenders and slotting inside the post. After the break, incoming Chelsea star Estevao struck against his future employers, slamming a powerful effort off the underside of the crossbar. But it was to be Chelsea’s night, as Malo Gusto’s shot in the 83rd minute took a deflection and was diverted home by Weverton, setting up Chelsea for a semi-final date with Fluminense.
Semi-final
Fluminense FC 0-2 Chelsea FC
Joao Pedro produced a superb double against former club Fluminense as the Blues qualified for the final in spectacular style. The new Chelsea forward, signed midway through the Club World Cup, set his new employers en route to a deserved victory with a superb curling effort in the 18th minute. The Brazilian then broke the hearts of his boyhood club with an even better second goal, crashing an unstoppable right-foot drive in off the underside of the bar.
