Boca Juniors vs Benfica: where to watch, lineups and refereeing
It's time for two giants of world football to face off! Boca Juniors will make their debut at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup next Monday (16), facing the traditional Benfica, from Portugal, at 7 pm (Brasília time), at Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, in the United States.
This match marks the start of Group C, where Boca Juniors and Benfica enter as continental giants, but are going through similar moments of instability. Boca, three-time world champion and a traditional force in South America, has struggled in the Argentine Championship, occupying intermediate positions and facing criticism for its recent performance . Benfica, a club with a rich European history, also had a campaign that was below expectations: they finished the season without any significant achievements, without a direct place in the Champions League and behind their local rivals, leaving their fans apprehensive .
Now, on foreign soil, both teams are looking to rediscover their best football. On the pitch, the Argentine-Portuguese duel promises tactical and emotional balance; the first objective is to regain confidence and define their style, with their eyes firmly on the fight for a place in the round of 16.
X-ray of Boca Juniors, who are in Group C of the Club World Cup
X-ray of Benfica, which is in Group C of the Club World Cup
Where to watch
The match will be broadcast on SporTV, on closed TV, on CazéTV, on YouTube, and on DAZN, on streaming from 4 pm (Brasília time).
How Boca Juniors arrives
Boca Juniors returned to the global stage after only participating in the old FIFA Club World Cup format. In 2007, they were defeated 4-2 by Milan, led by the brilliant Kaká, in the final. Despite this, they have won three titles in the old Intercontinental Cup, a joint record that reinforces their international tradition.
Famous for its blue and gold jerseys and its legendary Bombonera, the Argentine club secured its spot in the World Cup based on Conmebol's four-year ranking, where it is ranked as the second-best eligible team. Much of this score came from its run to the 2023 Copa Libertadores final, which it lost to Fluminense . Since then, Boca have failed to establish themselves in the main continental competition.
In 2024, they didn't even qualify, and this year they were eliminated in the playoffs by a modest Alianza Lima from Peru. Without a doubt, a stark contrast to their six Libertadores titles, the last one won 18 years ago.
The team was also recently eliminated from the Argentine Apertura Tournament by Independiente, ending the tenure of coach Fernando Gago. In his place, Miguel Ángel Russo took over for the third time, amid a turbulent environment.
With a squad full of veterans who have had notable spells in Europe — such as Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo, Edinson Cavani and Ander Herrera — Boca arrives in Group C with the responsibility of proving that it can still be a protagonist in high-level competitions.
How Benfica arrives
After securing their place at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup through a roundabout route, Benfica arrives in the United States with the mission of transforming this opportunity into a remarkable campaign. The limited number of representatives per country favored the Encarnados. They were selected for their seventh-best performance among eligible clubs in UEFA's four-year rankings.
Despite not winning any major titles recently, Benfica has had solid campaigns in Europe. They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League twice in recent editions and made their mark again last season, with convincing victories over Atlético de Madrid, Juventus, Monaco and Crvena Zvezda. They were eliminated in the round of 16, against Barcelona, in a tight series.
On the domestic front, Bruno Lage's team had a season of ups and downs. They lost the Portuguese title and the Portuguese Cup final to rivals Sporting, both by narrow margins. The season ended with only the League Cup as consolation. Even so, they scored 84 goals in the Primeira Liga, showing that the Lisbon team has no shortage of attacking power.
Although this is their debut in the FIFA World Cup, Benfica have already represented Europe in two finals of the old Intercontinental Cup, in 1961 and 1962, both without success. Now, with an experienced and attacking squad, the Portuguese arrive determined to overcome Group C and dream of a trajectory that will finally put them at the top of world football.
BOCA JUNIORS X BENFICAClub World Cup 2025 - Group C - 1st round
Date-Time : 6/16/2025, Monday, 1:00 PM (Brasília time)
Location : Hard Rock Stadium, Miami (USA)
BOCA JUNIORS : Marchesín; Blondel, Battaglia, Red, Blanco; Delgado, Herrera; Zeballos, Palacios, Zenon; Merentiel. Coach : Miguel Ángel Russo
BENFICA : Trubin; Araujo, A. Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Aursnes, Luis, Kokcu; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Akturkoglu. Coach : Bruno Lage
Referee : Cesar Ramos (MEX)
Assistants : Alberto Morín (MEX) and Marco Bisguerra (MEX)
VAR : Not disclosed
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