After overcoming Benfica in Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup last 16 tie on Saturday night, the Blues already know they will face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals.
A solitary Paulinho goal in extra time saw Palmeiras manage to win 1–0 against fellow Brazilian side Botafogo, finishing the game with only 10 players following a late red card. They were the first team to secure a place in the last eight of this summer’s competition.
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The last eight game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July, a poignant date and location in the city where the United States was born almost 250 years ago.
Palmeiras won Group A ahead of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, after the pair drew on Matchday 3. The Brazilians had earlier opened with a draw against Porto and beaten Egypt’s Al Ahly.
Even before Chelsea’s kick-off against Benfica, they have already earned a substantial amount of money from participating at the Club World Cup. So far, Chelsea’s pot stands at $40.5 million (£29.5 million), made up of their participation, group stage results and qualification for the last 16.
Reaching the quarterfinals is worth an extra $13.125 million (£9.7m). Getting through the last eight and into the semifinals then pays another $21 million (£15.3 million). As favourites in the quarters, the Blues would fancy their chances of doing so and, by that stage, the could have pocketed $74.6 million (£54.5 million).
For reference, that’s almost 12% of the club’s entire revenue for the 2023–24 season, which was £468.5 million ($642.9 million).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Learn Opponent for Club World Cup Quarterfinals.
