Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami starting lineups, team news, score prediction: Messi starts in Club World Cup opener

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup officially kicks off on Saturday as guest participant Inter Miami takes on recent CAF Champions League winner Al Ahly.

Lionel Messi will attempt to carry his Herons as he has since joining in mid-2023, but it will be a challenge for them up against top-tier clubs from all across the world, with many having qualified as continental champions.

The MLS club was nominated to participate by hosts CONCACAF after they won the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with the best regular season record in the U.S. domestic league. However, it’s been a struggle to repeat that year-long success in 2025, as they sit third in the Eastern Conference.

Inter Miami’s Egyptian opposition have won the African continental club title four times in the past six seasons. They were dethroned in the most recent edition, losing to South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in the semifinals.

The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides as the match draws nearer.

MORE: The entire 2025 Club World Cup match schedule & results | Inter Miami fixture schedule

Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami lineups, starting 11, team news

Al Ahly have bolstered their attack significantly heading into the Club World Cup. Egypt national team veteran Mahmoud Hassan, more commonly known as Trezeguet, has returned from a loan spell at Trabzonspor, while they added his international teammate Zizo on a free transfer from domestic rivals Zamalek.

All their injury concerns to end the Egyptian league season were minor, meaning head coach Jose Riveiro has a fully fit squad to choose from.

Al Ahly starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): El Shenawi (GK) — Hany, Ibrahim, Dari, Kouka — Attia, Ashour, Ben Romdhane — Trezeguet, W. Ali, Fathi.

Injured: None.
Suspended: None.

MORE: Full list of players, squads for all 32 Club World Cup participants

Full Al Ahly squad

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Sayed, Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Makhlouf, Mostafa Shobeir.

Defenders: Khaled Abdelfattah, Yahya Attiyat Allah, Achraf Dari, Mostafa El Aash, Mostafa El Dokesh, Motaz El Sayed, Karim Fouad, Mohamed Hany, Ahmed Hashem, Yasser Ibrahim, Omar Kamal, Ahmed Ramadan.

Midfielders: Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Emam Ashour, Marwan Attia, Aliou Dieng, Karim El Debes, Omar El Saeey, Hussein El Shahat, Hamdi Fathi, Ahmed Kouka, Mohamed Magdy, Karim Nedved, Zizo.

Forwards: Hamza Abdel Karim, Mohamed Ali, Wessam Ali, Achraf Bencharki, Nejc Gradisar, Taher Mohamed, Samir Mohamed, Reda Slim, Trezeguet.

10 years ago, @LuisSuarez9 led Barcelona to the @FIFACWC title as the top scorer. 🏆

Now he’s ready to run it back with @InterMiamiCF. 💪 pic.twitter.com/jvO8becySD

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 12, 2025

While Inter Miami have built their team around Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, the rest of the attack is extremely thin in supporting cast. MLS veteran Fafa Picault is back with the Herons after playing for Haiti in their two World Cup qualifiers earlier this month, departing before the Gold Cup to instead play in the Club World Cup.

Starting goalkeeper Drake Callender has been dealing with a hernia for months and is unlikely to participate in this competition at all after having surgery. Meanwhile, backup Oscar Ustari was subbed off at halftime of their latest MLS match, but reports indicate he’s ok to return to the pitch.

Versatile midfielder David Ruiz is back in training after a hamstring injury, but Jordi Alba picked up an injury in late May and will not play in this match. Almost certainly out are Yannick Bright and Gonzalo Lujan, who were not involved in training due to hamstring injuries.

Inter Miami starting lineup (4-4-2): Ustari (GK) — Fray, Aviles, Falcon, Allen — Allende, Redondo, Busquets, Segovia — Messi, Suarez.

Injured: Callender (hernia), Ustari (muscle, doubt), Alba (muscle, doubt), Lujan (hamstring), Bright (hamstring).
Suspended: None.

Full Inter Miami squad

Goalkeepers: Drake Callender, Oscar Ustari, Rocco Rios Novo, William Yarbrough.

Defenders: Jordi Alba, Noah Allen, Tomas Aviles, Israel Boatwright, Max Falcon, Ian Fray, Tyler Hall, Gonzalo Lujan, David Martinez, Marcelo Weigandt.

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Yannick Bright, Benjamin Cremaschi, Santiago Morales, Federico Redondo, Baltasar Rodriguez, David Ruiz.

Forwards: Leo Afonso, Tadeo Allande, Lionel Messi, Allen Obando, Fafa Picault, Luis Suarez.

Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami score prediction

While Al Ahly have strengthened coming into this tournament, Inter Miami are injury-stricken, as they have been throughout Lionel Messi’s time with the club.

Messi’s presence alongside Luis Suarez means this team is always potent up front, but this is not the same powerful Inter Miami team we’ve seen over the past few years, as we saw during April and May when they at one point lost five of seven across all competitions.

Al Ahly finished the recent league season strong, winning the Egyptian Premier League title ahead of CAF Champions League winner Pyramids. They should handle Inter Miami, who are in for a rude awakening as the guest participant at the Club World Cup.

Prediction: Al Ahly 3-2 Inter Miami

Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami live stream, TV channel

All matches across the entirety of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be streamed for free on DAZN across the globe. In addition, some matches may be televised in certain regions as per DAZN’s deals with local networks and services.

Here’s how to watch the 2025 Club World Cup opener across selected areas of the world’s major regions: