SE Palmeiras will train at UNCG this summer during international tournament
 
GREENSBORO N.C. (April 24, 2025) - The Fédération Internationale de Football Association – better known as FIFA, the international governing body for the game of soccer – has named Greensboro a Base Camp City for the inaugural 2025 FIFA Club World Cup tournament.  
 
"We have long since owned our Tournament Town title, but this honor puts us at a completely different level," said Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan. "Greensboro is now officially part of the world's most popular sport. This is not just an economic win – it elevates our status as a premier host for sporting events at levels we've never experienced."
 
Greensboro will play host to the SE Palmeiras of São Paulo, Brazil, one of the most popular teams in South America, with an estimated 21 million fans and 18 top-tier national titles to its name, making it Brazil's most successful FC. The team will train at UNCG facilities throughout the spring and summer, and will play its Group Stage matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL.
 
The honor comes after a united effort by the City of Greensboro, the Greensboro Sports Foundation and the UNC Greensboro Athletics Department. Greensboro is the only North Carolina city to be named as a training base camp; two of the Group Stage matches and two from the Round of 16 matches will be played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
 
"With our partners in Greensboro, UNCG is proud to host SE Palmeiras this summer," says Chancellor Frank Gilliam. "We have welcoming staff and incredible facilities which will provide an ideal home base for a world-class football club."
 
The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place from June 14 to July 13, 2025, in 12 venues across 11 cities in the United States. This truly global event will bring together 32 of the most successful club teams from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA. A training base camp is where players and staff of one of the 32 teams will spend most of their time during the Group Stage of the tournament, along with their delegations, media, and fans.
 
As the world's most popular game, the final match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is expected to draw an audience of approximately 3 billion people.
 
The Club World Cup is a precursor to the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States.  FIFA previously announced Greensboro is being explored as a potential base camp for next year's World Cup, the most prestigious soccer event in the world, as well as the world's most widely viewed and followed sporting event.
 
"Greensboro has a rich history in youth and amateur soccer over many years," says Richard Beard, President of the Greensboro Sports Foundation. "Hosting a team for the 2025 Club World Cup adds to our stellar resume hosting major soccer events. The international exposure World Cup Soccer brings to Greensboro is unmatched in any sports event held worldwide."
 
In addition to training in Greensboro, Palmeiras is launching a comprehensive community program for the local neighborhood. Beginning on June 6, the city will host a series of free, community-focused activities at the Smith Soccer Complex, aimed at introducing the club and its history to local people. The program will run through mid-June and will include interactive games and a friendly soccer tournament, leading up to a youth soccer camp at Proehlific Park from June 23 to 27.
 
There will be limited media access and no public access during the team's time in Greensboro.