Chelsea’s round of 16 match at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will kick-off at 9pm UK/4pm local time on Saturday 28 June.

The 74,867-capacity Bank of America Stadium was opened in 1996 and is the home of NFL side Carolina Panthers as well as Charlotte FC of the MLS.

The winner of this clash will play either Palmeiras or Botafogo in the quarter-final in Philadelphia next Friday 4 July at 9pm local time, with kick-off 2am Saturday in the UK.

Chelsea statistics

Chelsea have played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on three pre-season tours.

Our 2015 and 2022 pre-season clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Charlotte respectively both finished 1-1, with Victor Moses and then Christian Pulisic finding the net.

Last summer's game versus Real Madrid ended 2-1 to the then reigning Champions League holders, with Noni Madueke finding the net for the Blues.

This is match number 61 of our 2024/25 campaign, only the eighth time we have reached that number in a single season.

Most club games in a season

69 - 2012/13
64 - 2006/07
63 - 2018/19, 2021/22
62 - 2007/08
61 - 1999/00, 2011/12, 2024/25

Chelsea reached the round of 16 by defeating Esperance Tunis 3-0, with all three goals coming in stoppage time – Tosin 45+3, Delap 45+5 and George 90+7.

After facing 13 shots on target in our first two games of the tournament (four v LAFC and nine v Flamengo), Chelsea did not face any against ES Tunis, the first time under Enzo Maresca we had not faced a shot on target.

Liam Delap is the 20th different Chelsea player to score a goal for the club this season, equalling our 2015/16 campaign and one behind our club-record 21 which was set in 2021/22.

Enzo Fernandez has provided more assists (eight) and scored more goals (six) than any other Chelsea player across all competitions in 2025. He is also the only Blues player to create 50+ chances in that time (54).

Tyrique George has had a hand in eight goals in his past 18 appearances in all competitions (three goals, five assists), despite only starting seven games in that time. He has scored in two of his last four substitute appearances for the Blues, against Fulham in April and ES Tunis this week when he became our youngest player to score in the Club World Cup (19 years 141 days).

Chelsea have won 10 of our past 12 matches across all competitions. Our defeats in that run came at Newcastle and against Flamengo last Friday when we completed both matches with 10 players. We have kept clean sheets in six of those games.

Enzo Maresca has currently used a club-record 43 players this season, seven more than the previous record of 36 set in 2023/24.

Six players have signed for Chelsea directly from Benfica, all in the last 21 years: Tiago (2004), Ramires (2010), David Luiz (2011), Nemanja Matic (2014), Enzo Fernandez (2023) and Diego Moreira (2023). Two have moved the other way: Scott Minto in 1997 and Nemanja Matic in 2011. In addition, Joao Felix, Maniche, Mario Stanic and Emerson Thome have played for both clubs in their careers.

As the Club World Cup begins in June, statistics from the competition are being categorised as part of our 2024/25 season.

Milestone

If selected, Fernandez will start a Chelsea game for the 100th time. It will also be his 50th Blues appearance of the season.

Benfica stats

Formation: 1904
Ground: Estadio da Luz (Capacity 64,642)
Major honours: Two European Cups, 38 Primeira Liga titles, 26 Portuguese Cups, eight Portuguese League Cups

Benfica reached the Club World Cup via the ranking pathway and were assured of their participation when the criteria for the four-year cycle was first released, given their performances in the Champions League in that period.

Earlier this week, Benfica ended a 13-match winless head-to-head run against Bayern Munich by beating the German champions 1-0 in Charlotte to top group C with seven points.

2024/25 season:

Primeira Liga: Second
Taca de Portugal: Runners-up
Taca da Liga: Winners
Champions League: Round of 16
Club World Cup: Currently round of 16
Top scorer all competitions: Vangelis Pavlidis 30

Benfica are winless in their last seven games against English opponents (three draws, four defeats) since a 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League in March 2014.

Benfica have progressed from the last 16 in 10 of their 12 appearances at this stage of international competitions dating back to 2010. One of the two times they were eliminated at this stage, however, was in this year’s Champions League when they lost 4-1 on aggregate to Barcelona.

Head coach Bruno Lage has been in charge since September last year. When he was with Wolves, he managed two games against Chelsea in 2021/22, both of which ended all square. One of those who played for him during his time at Molineux was Pedro Neto.

Last five results

Braga (a) D 1-1
Sporting (Portuguese Cup final) L 1-3 aet
Boca Juniors (CWC) D 2-2
Auckland (CWC) W 6-0
Bayern Munich (CWC) W 1-0

Club World Cup scorers: Di Maris 3, Barreiro 2, Otamendi 1, Pavlidis 1, Renato Sanches 1, Schjelderup 1

Last Benfica line-up

Benfica vs Bayern Munich on Tuesday 24 June 2025 (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi (c), Dahl; Sanches (Bajrami 78), Barreiro; Di Maria (Rego 87), Prestianni (Kokcu 55), Schjelderup (Akturkoglu 55); Pavlidis (Gouveia 87)
Booked: Sanches, Otamendi, Pavlidis
Goal: Schjelderup 13
Attendance: 33,287

DAZN are broadcasting every game at the Club World Cup for free around the world. Sign up to DAZN to watch the Blues play for free!