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Already eyeing the first FIFA Club World Cup, C.R. Flamengo has already decided where it will stay for the first two matches of the tournament, which will be against Tunisia's Esperance on June 16 and Chelsea on June 20 this year at Lincoln Financial Field.
Atlantic City, NJ as Base
The Brazilian club will stay in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and train in the same state at Stockton University in Galloway. They will be about an hour from the game venue in Philadelphia. The team will travel to the city the day before the matches.
In December 2024, the club sent representatives on behalf of President Luiz Eduardo Baptista 'BAP' to inspect the location and facilities before confirming it as the team's base in the country. The club must be in the country by June 13, following FIFA's regulations. In addition to the two games in Philadelphia, the 'Mengão' will also face Club León at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, in a match valid for the tournament's third round.
The "Mais-Querido" will have access to the university's soccer complex and train at the G. Larry James Stadium on campus. The training sessions will likely not be open to the public.
F.C. Series, successful pre-season in Florida
Fla has just wrapped up its pre-season in the United States by participating in the F.C. Series, a traditional pre-season tournament held in Florida. The team spent over 10 days in the small city of Gainesville, Florida, using the facilities at the University of Florida, also known as the Florida Gators. Flamengo's stint concluded with a 0-0 draw against São Paulo at the Chase Stadium, the home of Inter Miami C.F., in Fort Lauderdale. The match took place last Sunday (19th).
FIFA Club World Cup Group D Implications
If Flamengo advances as the leader of Group D, the club will play the next stage in Miami. If they qualify in second place, the team will play at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they will likely face Bayern Munich.
On the field, the team still has plenty of matches ahead before the tournament. Until then, they will compete in the State Championship, the Brazilian Championship, the Copa do Brasil, and the initial stages of the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores.
The team is now negotiating with Arsenal midfielder Jorginho to strengthen the squad for the tournament. They are also set to sign Juventus captain Danilo, 33, who has terminated his contract with the Italian club. The only signing so far has been fellow Brazilian Juninho, 28, who arrived from Azerbaijani football. The forward is coming in to replace star player Pedro, who tore his knee ligament last year while playing for the Brazilian national team and is only expected to return to football in May.
Flamengo is one of the four Brazilian clubs competing in the FIFA Club World Cup alongside Palmeiras, Botafogo, and Fluminense.
