Dias: We’ll adapt to new opponents at FIFA Club World Cup | OneFootball

Dias: We’ll adapt to new opponents at FIFA Club World Cup

City will play our maiden matches against both Moroccan side Wydad AC and UAE-based Al Ain before a meeting with familiar foe Juventus in the group stage of the competition.

With sides from six continents in the USA for the inaugural, expanded format of the competition, there could be plenty of fresh opponents if we’re to go all the way to the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 13 July.

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As well as coming up against the world’s best, Dias is excited about the prospect of playing competitive matches in front of our growing fanbase stateside.

“We’ve been to America before in pre-season and we feel the warmth,” he began in an interview with FIFA.

“It’s always a special moment when we play in front of fans that might not normally have the chance to watch us play live. It’s a new competition and a prestigious one.

“Of course, the teams that are involved make the competition as big as it can get.

“It will be a different challenge because you play teams from different continents with different ways of seeing the game.

“The adaptation you have to make to do that is a big part of being successful.

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“We’ve had the taste of it when playing for our national teams but it’s different because that’s a different space that you’re not involved in the whole year.

“It will be interesting and it’s one everyone will want to win.”

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City reached the FIFA Club World Cup with the 2023 Champions League success, coming after years of sustained success under Pep Guardiola.

As just one of two English teams in attendance amongst a European contingent of 12, we’ve had to excel just to arrive at this stage.

“You can be very good, many people in the world are,” he said.

“In the top-level environment, there are very few clubs in the world and the biggest thing they need is consistency. It’s all about how long you can do it for. That’s true quality.”

Previously a seven-team tournament, the new format of the FIFA Club World Cup will create a month-long festival of football across 11 cities throughout the US.

Following a similar schedule to recent international World Cups, the hope is that fans from all over the globe will come together to enjoy the sport in good spirits.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 | All the information you need

Dias believes that’s a powerful message to send.

“I think football unites the world. It’s a collective sport, it brings people together and it’s a very good example of life in many ways,” he said.

“Working as a team, if you want to be champions you need to understand the value of friendship and respecting someone that is fighting beside you.

“You have to learn how to be disappointed and how to lose. Football is the perfect example of life. It’s an easy game to play, you just need a ball and some goals. That’s happiness.”

How to follow the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

DAZN will broadcast every minute from the event, with all 63 matches, live-streamed, free to view on DAZN globally, and in multiple languages.

If you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, then the competition is part of your current membership.

To sign up for a free DAZN account now you only need an email address to register, with no hidden costs or fees.

You can then watch all the action on the DAZN App via smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, game consoles and web browsers.

Join now to be ready to watch DAZN’s coverage for free.

Every City match will be covered in full across mancity.com and our official app, with our usual offering of a Matchday Centre and Matchday Live followed by a match report, written and video reaction and highlights from the US.