“Alexandria is proud to be a part of this global tournament and to host Al Ain FC in our community.”

— Mayor Alyia Gaskins

FIFA, the world governing body for soccer, announced that Alexandria has been selected as one of 34 cities to serve as an official base camp site for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Alexandria’s Episcopal High School will host Al Ain FC, one of the world’s top clubs from the United Arab Emirates. The team will stay in and train in Alexandria throughout the group stage of the competition. Its games will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

“Alexandria is proud to be a part of this global tournament and to host Al Ain FC in our community,” said Mayor Alyia Gaskins in a statement. “This opportunity reflects the strength of our city as a great place to live, work, visit and play.”

The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup will bring together 32 of the world’s top clubs in the United States, including two matches for Al Ain FC at Audi Field.

Matches at Audi Field are scheduled for June 18, 22 and 26. Soccer fans will be able to take the City Cruises Water Taxi from Old Town to Navy Yard, steps from Audi Field, or connect to D.C. via Metro, Uber/Lyft, bikeshare and more.

“We are honored to welcome Al Ain FC to Alexandria as their practice homebase for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025,” said Todd O’Leary, President & CEO of Visit Alexandria.

A total of 63 matches will be played across 12 different venues throughout the United States. The tournament's opening game is scheduled for June 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, while the championship final will take place July 13 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

“We’re pleased to confirm the Team Base Camp Training Sites that will host qualified clubs throughout the group stage of the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup,” said FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström in making the announcement. “These sites and more significantly the people and communities that surround them will welcome the world’s best, providing first-class environments and hospitality in support of the teams.”

DC United’s MLS training center in Leesburg was also selected as a base camp training site for Al Hilal Saudi FC.

Tickets for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches are available at FIFA.com/tickets, while every match at the tournament will be streamed live and for free globally on DAZN.com.