Al Hilal becomes Asia’s sole representative in Club World Cup round of 16

Al Hilal has made history as Asia’s sole representative advancing to the 2025 Club World Cup round of 16 — an achievement that demonstrates their ability to compete at the world’s elite level.

Simone Inzaghi‘s team secured their knockout phase ticket after defeating Pachuca 2-0 in their final group stage match. The squad featuring Joao Cancelo accumulated 5 points in Group H — sufficient to secure the runner-up position behind Real Madrid.

Al Hilal’s success stands in stark contrast to the fate of other Asian representatives in this tournament.

• Urawa Reds
• Al Ain
• Ulsan HD

These three teams failed to reach the main knockout stage of the competition, leaving Al Hilal as Asia’s only hope in the 2025 Club World Cup knockout phase.