Tag: Club World Cup

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has delivered blockbuster action, stunning upsets, and unforgettable moments—and through it all, StarTimes has made sure Nigerian fans are right at the heart of it.

As the tournament heads into the semi-final stage, the excitement is reaching fever pitch, with fans set to witness two epic clashes.

But beyond the drama on the pitch, the country’s foremost Digital Pay TV platform is giving viewers a front-row seat to all the action—plus added value—through its ongoing Chop Extra Promo, ensuring no fan is left behind.

The quarter-finals were filled with thrilling contests and elite-level football. Paris Saint-Germain outclassed Bayern Munich 2-0 with a brilliant blend of creativity and discipline.

Real Madrid held their nerve to edge Borussia Dortmund 3-2, despite two goals from Serhou Guirassy.

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Meanwhile, Chelsea showed true resilience, battling past Brazilian giants Palmeiras with a 2-1 victory, and Fluminense proved they are no fluke, overcoming a fierce challenge from Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.

In a tournament of stars, veterans like Thiago Silva (40) and goalkeeper Fabio (43) have emerged as unlikely heroes, inspiring fans with their grit and leadership for Fluminense.

StarTimes, Nigeria’s leading digital TV platform, has made sure none of these moments are missed. According to a company official:

“With the Chop Extra Promo, viewers didn’t just get live HD coverage of every match – everyone got the chance to enjoy the FIFA Club World Cup across the different bouquets. The promo brought football fever into living rooms and watch parties across the country.”

And now, as the semi-finals approach, the stakes have never been higher.

Today,  July 8, Chelsea faces the ever-determined Fluminense, while tomorrow,  July 9, it’s the battle of European royalty as Real Madrid takes on PSG in what promises to be a stylistic showdown.

Both matches will be broadcast live on World Football (CH 254 DTT / 245 DTH) and also available with lively Pidgin commentary on ST Beta Sports (CH 244).

To enjoy these games in full HD, StarTimes encourages subscribers to take advantage of the Chop Extra Promo:

“Recharge on Basic Bouquet and get upgraded to Classic. Recharge on Classic and move up to Super. Super Bouquet users get three extra days free. It’s our way of bringing top football without tearing your pockets.”

For fans on the move, the StarTimes ON app offers flexible viewing anytime, anywhere.

With the Chop Extra Promo running until July 10 and the semi-finals just around the corner, excitement is building—and StarTimes continues to be the go-to platform bringing world-class football straight into homes across Nigeria.

The quarter-finals of the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kick off this weekend across the United States, with eight clubs vying for a place in the final four. Hosted across the United States for the first time, the expanded tournament has already drawn global attention. All the action will be broadcast live on GOtv.

The action begins tonight  at 8:00 p.m. in Orlando, where the Brazilian side, Fluminense, take on Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia. Fluminense have relied on its attacking flair and quick transitions to navigate the early stages of the tournament. Al Hilal, however, have proven to be formidable opponents, having stunned Manchester City in their opening fixture to underline the strength of Saudi club football on the global stage.

Early tomorrow, Chelsea will battle Palmeiras in Philadelphia in a classic South America versus Europe contest. The Blues, reshaped by a new tactical identity, face a Palmeiras side known for their discipline and swift counter-attacks.  With both clubs seasoned on the global stage, the tie is expected to be finely balanced. Kick-off is 2 a.m.

The headline fixture comes tomorrow  at 5:00 p.m., when Paris Saint-Germain meet Bayern Munich at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Touted by many as a potential early final, this clash pits two modern powerhouses with Champions League pedigree against each other. PSG breezed past Inter Miami in the round of 16 with a commanding 4–0 victory.

Read Also: Joao Pedro off to Club World Cup after joining Chelsea

On the other side, Bayern Munich dispatched Flamengo in a 4–2 thriller to book their place in the last eight. The German champions, led by English striker Harry Kane, boast depth, experience, and tactical discipline. With Thomas Tuchel at the helm and a core of seasoned players including Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala, Bayern enter the clash with both pedigree and purpose.

Rounding off the quarter-final action is another heavyweight European affair between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at 9 pm. Real Madrid, serial winners on the continental stage, are once again considered one of the favourites, but Dortmund have shown they can go toe-to-toe with anyone on their day. With an attacking intent, Dortmund will aim to outpace Madrid’s experience with energy and enterprise.

With exclusive coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals, GOtv continues to deliver premium football content to fans across the continent. Don’t miss a second of the Club World Cup drama and catch all the action live on SuperSport EPL Channel 65.

GOtv has also got you covered from now until July 31^st , simply reconnect or renew your subscription and enjoy an automatic upgrade to a higher bouquet at no extra cost.

Inter Milan striker Medhi Taremi has been left stranded in Iran following attacks from Israel in Tehran.

Taremi, 32, is part of the Inter squad taking part in the Club World Cup in the USA over the next month, with their first match taking place on Wednesday against Mexican side Monterrey.

Taremi returned to his homeland to accept Iran’s Footballer of the Year award and was planning to fly straight out to Los Angeles to link up with his teammates.

However, the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which saw Iranian military and nuclear targets hit with missile attacks, has resulted in all flights from Iranian airports being grounded.

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Inter are in ‘constant contact’ with the striker, Sky Italia reports, as they seek to find a solution that will allow him to leave Iran and join up with his teammates.

Iran was targeted with several waves of airstrikes on Thursday and Friday, launching retaliatory attacks on Israel overnight.

More than 78 people have been killed in Iran, including four of its top security chiefs, with 320 wounded, most of them civilians. Three people died in Israel, with dozens more injured in Iranian strikes.

Taremi had also returned to Iran to play for the national team in World Cup qualifying matches against Qatar and North Korea, the last of which took place at Tehran’s Aazadi Stadium on Tuesday.

Premier League champions Manchester City have been drawn with Juventus, Wydad AC and Al Ain in Group G for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

Lionel Messi and Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami are in Group A and will face Al Ahly in the opening match of the expanded 32-team tournament before games against Porto and Palmeiras.

The tournament, featuring top teams from around the world, will be held in 12 stadiums around the country from June 15-July 13 and serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S. Mexico and Canada.

Manchester City won the most recent Club World Cup in 2023 under the old format and sit fourth in the Premier League after being hit hard by injuries to key players such as Spanish midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.

City, who this year won an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title, will face Wydad AC in their opening match and Al Ain before closing out the group stage against Juventus.

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Miami were the penultimate team added to the tournament after winning the “Supporters’ Shield” for finishing top of the MLS standings in the regular season before losing in the first round of the MLS playoffs last month.

European champions Real Madrid will face Al-Hilal, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in Group H while Bayern Munich were placed in Group C along with Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica.

Three-times European champions Inter Milan landed in Group E along with River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds and Monterrey while Paris St Germain, who this year won a third consecutive French top-flight title, are in Group B with Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders.

Brazilian side Botafogo only secured the final spot in the tournament last week by winning their first Copa Libertadores title.

Chelsea will begin Group D play against Leon before facing Flamengo and Esperance, while Group F is made up of Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns.

The draw, conducted by Italian World Cup winner and former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero, included a recorded message from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in which he complimented FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“The event is going to be incredible. I will try and be there. If I can I would, we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “But I just want to say you’re led by a man named Gianni. I just know him as Gianni and he’s a winner and he’s the president, and I’m the president.

“We’ve known each other a long time, and I’m so honoured to have this kind of a relationship because soccer is going through the roof. As everybody knows, it’s been doing fantastically well … and it really is taking over the United States in terms of the sport.”