On Sunday night at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, European football’s elite will collide on a stage built for global champions.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain meet in the final of the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup — not just for a trophy, but for supremacy.

This is the biggest match in the tournament’s reimagined format, and for the first time in its history, two European clubs will battle it out in the final. It is a clash that cuts deeper than continental pride. For Chelsea, it’s a chance to complete a remarkable transformation under Enzo Maresca. For PSG, it’s an opportunity to complete a historic quadruple and put the perfect seal on a season defined by precision, depth and dominance.

Chelsea’s Long Road to the Final

Chelsea arrived in the United States as underdogs — not by heritage, but by form. The team’s path to the final has been anything but straightforward. After slipping to a defeat in their opening group match against Flamengo, their resolve was tested early. But from that point on, Maresca’s side shifted gears and slowly began to assert themselves on the competition. They edged past Esperance in the first knockout round, handled Benfica with measured confidence, and overcame Palmeiras with a balanced performance that showed real tactical maturity. Their 2–0 semifinal win over Fluminense was perhaps their most convincing display to date — a clinical performance in a high-pressure environment that proved they belong on this stage.

Key to their progression has been Cole Palmer, whose creativity in the final third has provided the cutting edge Chelsea often lacked earlier in the season. Midfield metronome Enzo Fernández leads the tournament’s assist charts, while Levi Colwill has anchored the backline with a maturity that belies his age. The return of Moisés Caicedo from injury ahead of the final is a timely boost in midfield — and one that could make all the difference.This is Chelsea’s 30th major final since 1997. Should they lift the trophy on Sunday, they will become the first English club to win the FIFA Club World Cup twice.

PSG Eye Global Glory to Complete The Set

For PSG, the route has been more emphatic. Champions of France and Europe, Luis Enrique’s side have moved through the tournament with the control and conviction of a team playing at their peak. They’ve conceded just once in eight matches. They’ve dismantled Bayern Munich. They’ve brushed aside Real Madrid. Every test has been passed without panic. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been devastating off the left flank, combining raw pace with surgical movement in and around the box. Ousmane Dembélé has rediscovered his best form, dragging defenders wide and creating lanes for the midfield to exploit. Behind them, the midfield pairing of Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz have dominated possession battles and set the rhythm for PSG’s fast transitions.

Defensively, they’ve been almost flawless — six clean sheets, zero signs of discomfort. This team has already lifted Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the UEFA Champions League. One more win, and they will close the season as undisputed world champions.

TACTICAL CONTRAST: CONTROL VS DISRUPTION

This final promises to be a battle of philosophies as much as personnel. Luis Enrique has built a PSG side that controls matches through territorial dominance, positional discipline, and short passing combinations in central zones. They aim to wear opponents down. Chelsea, in contrast, have evolved into a side that’s most dangerous when the rhythm is broken — intercepting passes, triggering quick vertical attacks, and relying on young, intelligent attackers to find the final pass.

Maresca knows PSG will have more of the ball. But he also knows that possession without penetration is harmless. Chelsea have spent the last two weeks fine-tuning their press triggers, often sacrificing territory for opportunities to strike on the turnover. If the match opens up, PSG have the firepower to punish anyone. But if Chelsea can slow the game down, stay compact and use the spaces in wide areas, they have the tools to turn this into a war of moments rather than momentum.

This will be the first major international final held at the stadium that is also set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Sunday’s match is already sold out, with over 80,000 expected to be in attendance.

What’s At Stake

For PSG, a win completes the perfect season. For Chelsea, a win redefines theirs. One brings validation. The other brings resurrection. Maresca described the final as “a chess match” — slow, measured, and played over every blade of grass. Luis Enrique called it “the final the tournament deserved” — two top-tier sides, no need for introductions, no need for gimmicks.

On Sunday night, one club will leave with a trophy that matters. The rest of the world will leave knowing exactly who runs the game right now. There are no favourites anymore. Just two giants, one match, and the biggest title left on the table.