LAFC and Chelsea square off in Atlanta | OneFootball

MIAMI – The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 continues as 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup runners-up Los Angeles FC meet 2020–21 UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea FC in Group D on Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

The encounter will mark the first time in the tournament’s history that teams from England and the United States face each other.

LAFC debuts at Club World Cup

LAFC secured the last ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup by defeating Mexican side Club América in a Play-In match.

Olivier Giroud, who played for Chelsea from 2018 to 2021, lines up against his former team. LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who spent over a decade with Chelsea crosstown rivals Tottenham Hotspur, is set to face The Blues for the 24th occasion.

Denis Bouanga, the top scorer of the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, leads the Black and Gold with eight MLS goals this season. Bouanga struck the match-winner in extra time in the Play-In match to send LAFC to the Club World Cup.

Chelsea in the USA

Chelsea booked its place as one of the European representatives as one of the UEFA Champions League winners during the Club World Cup qualification period.

The Premier League club made two appearances under the previous format, losing to Corinthians 1-nil in the 2012 final before topping Palmeiras 2-1 to win the 2021 edition.

Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer are the standouts for the Blues, leading the team last season in assists and chances created, respectively.

Match Game Notes

●      Chelsea and Los Angeles FC are meeting for the first time in a competitive match. It’s also the first-time teams from England and the United States will face each other at a FIFA Club World Cup, including the previous format.

●      Chelsea made two appearances under the previous FIFA Club World Cup format. They were beaten finalists in 2012 (0-1 v Corinthians) before winning the 2021 edition (2-1 v Palmeiras in the final).

●      Including games played in the previous format of the FIFA Club World Cup, the only other time a team’s first game has been against an English club was in 2000 when Mexican side Necaxa faced Manchester United and drew 1-1.

●      Chelsea qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup as winners of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League whilst LAFC qualified after beating Mexican side Club América on 31st May in a play-in match to claim the final tournament spot.

●      During the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, the average age of Chelsea’s starting XI’s was just 24 years and 36 days – the youngest lineups ever fielded across a single campaign by any team in Premier League history.

●      Since his Chelsea debut in September 2023, the only Premier League players to be involved in more goals in all competitions than Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (40 goals, 26 assists) are Mohamed Salah (92) and Erling Haaland (76).

●      Olivier Giroud, who played for Chelsea from 2018 to 2021, scored only one goal in 16 career matches against the Blues, the only opponent he’s faced 10 or more times and not scored at least twice against.

●      This will be Hugo Lloris’ 24th match against Chelsea in all competitions, his most against any opponent. Lloris’ side won only four of the previous 23 (D7 L12), keeping three clean sheets.

●      Enzo Fernández assisted more goals than any other Chelsea player in all competitions in 2024-25 (14), while only Cole Palmer (97) created more chances than the Argentinian midfielder (92).