All Brazilian Teams Advance to World Cup Knockout Round

MIAMI, USA — The knockout stage of the FIFA Club World Cup starts this Saturday, featuring all Brazilian teams who have secured their spots in the Round of 16. With games taking place in the sweltering heat of the United States, players may face increased physical demands.

Like the World Cup for national teams, the club knockout phase also includes a 30-minute extra session in case of a tie after regulation time, a regulation outlined in Article 14 of the tournament rules. Should a match remain tied after the extra time, a penalty shootout will determine the winner.

The first match of the knockout stage is a Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo, set for Saturday at 1 p.m. local time in Philadelphia. Flamengo will play on Sunday against Bayern Munich at 5 p.m. in Miami, while Fluminense faces Inter Milan on Monday at 4 p.m. in Charlotte.

According to tournament guidelines, if a game ends in a draw after normal time, an extra time of 30 minutes will be played, divided into two 15-minute halves. If the score is still tied after this, the match will be decided by penalties.

The Fluminense vs. Inter Milan match will be especially significant, as the Italian club finished first in their group and is coming in confident after defeating River Plate. Fluminense aims to maintain its unbeaten record against Italian teams, with an impressive history of 10 wins, 4 draws, and no losses from 14 matches.

Card accumulations reset only after the Round of 16, meaning players at risk of suspension must avoid yellow cards in critical matches. Some key names such as John Arias and Martinelli will be watched closely as they are currently on yellow card warnings.

As anticipation builds among fans, the upcoming matches promise to be thrilling with high stakes as teams vie for a place in the semifinals of this prestigious tournament.