The FIFA Club World Cup opener was a scoreless draw, lacking a magical Lionel Messi moment in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The summer of soccer will take a new look this year with the FIFA Club World Cup, which comes to the U.S. for the first edition of the expanded competition that will see 32 teams from around the world compete for a share of the $1 billion prize purse.

The Club World Cup has been beset by organisational challenges ahead of the first edition of the revamped 32-team tournament in the U.S.

Al Ahly comes out of Egypt having qualified after winning the CAF Champions League in 2020-21. This is the club’s 10th trip to the CWC, and fourth year in a row. Al Ahly has finished third in three of the last four tournaments.

Thirty-two clubs from around the world will compete in the Club World Cup, which begins Saturday night when Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosts Al Ahly, the champions of the Egyptian Premier League. Messi and Miami are +100 favorites on the three-way moneyline for Saturday’s curtain-raiser.

The Club World Cup is still awaiting its first goal in group A after Palmeiras and Porto mirrored Al Ahly and Inter Miami’s result from the opening night by drawing 0-0. A night after Lionel Messi’s Miami were held by the Egyptian champions it was the turn of the team who have won the most titles in Brazil and one of Portugal’s leading clubs to play out a draw.

The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, "Messi mania" and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world football body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest.