Chelsea v PSG – Club World Cup final live: Score and result as Cole Palmer stars and Joao Neves sent off for hair pull

Chelsea v PSG - Club World Cup final updates

• Chelsea take on PSG in the final of the revamped Club World Cup | Kick-off 8pm BST, live on DAZN
• President Trump in the crowd to watch New Jersey final
• The Blues enter as big underdogs against the dominant Champions League winners
• Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Palmer; Joao Pedro.
• PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Beraldo, Marquinhos, Mendes; Fabian, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.
• GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 PSG (Palmer, 22 min)
• GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 PSG (Palmer, 28 min)
• GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 PSG (Joao Pedro, 43 min)
• RED CARD! Joao Neves (PSG) is sent off for pulling Cucurella's hair

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

90+1 min: What a night for Chelsea. Just four more minutes to get through.

RED CARD! Joao Neves (PSG)

86 min: Referee Alireza Faghani checks his pitchside monitor and quickly produces a red card. You cannot pull an opponent’s hair, however long and luxurious those locks may be.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

86 min: Now then – Joao Neves has just clearly pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair. He is booked, but that is surely a red card. Is VAR getting involved? Yes, is the answer...

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

83 min: Gusto is holding his hamstring now. This tournament has taken a toll on those competing.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

81 min: A big chance for Liam Delap, who weaves into the box before shooting from close range, but he’s shut down by the onrushing Donnarumma.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

75 min: Reece James looks to have picked up an injury, or perhaps just some cramp. He is replaced by Dewsbury-Hall, while Pedro Neto gives way for Nkunku.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

70 min: Hakimi, Doue and Ruiz are off for PSG. Goncalo Ramos, Mayulu and Zaire-Emery replace them.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

66 min: Joao Pedro is replaced by Liam Delap, and the substitute immediately causes trouble, dribbling towards the box before bending a shot into the far corner, only to see Donnarumma parry the ball away to safety with a full-stretch dive.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

64 min: A cross by Vitinha is well aimed towards the penalty spot but Robert Sanchez rushes out of goal and catches the ball. He’s been excellent.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

61 min: It’s all PSG right now, in terms of possession and territory, but clear chances are few and far between.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

58 min: Vitinha fizzes a long-range shot which is heading just inside the post until Robert Sanchez dives to his right to push the ball around the post. The goalkeeper is having a good game.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

55 min: Joao Pedro goes down in the box after a bit of a handsy challenge by Lucas Beraldo, and the striker appeals for a penalty, but the referee waves him to his feet.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

52 min: More chances come and go for PSG, the latest as Doue fires wide from the edge of the box. Chelsea are having to ride this pressure.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

47 min: Better from PSG, as Kvaratskhelia cuts in from the left wing and fires a low shot which is saved by Sanchez.

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

The noise has stopped, the players are back, and the second half is underway.

Half-time: Chelsea 3-0 PSG

I’m reliably informed it’s J Balvin, Doja Cat and (my favourite) Tems performing at the half-time show. Chris Martin has just turned up too.

You don’t get this at Stamford Bridge.

PSG's nuclear-style response hasn't come

We braced ourselves for what felt like the inevitable PSG response to Cole Palmer’s opener - the one that would see the Parisians unleash a nuclear-style demolition on the Blues for even daring to threaten their dominance. But it hasn’t come.

Chelsea now feel like they have an insurmountable lead, even for this PSG team. They are 45 minutes away from becoming world champions.

Half-time: Chelsea 3-0 PSG

While the half-time show goes on (game’s gone), let’s take a look at some pictures from a remarkable first half:

Cole Palmer, top-left, fires Chelsea's second goal (Reuters)

Palmer celebrates after scoring Chelsea's second (Getty Images)

Joao Pedro scoops over Gianluigi Donnarumma's head (AP)

Chelsea celebrate with Joao Pedro (AFP via Getty Images)

Half-time: Chelsea 3-0 PSG

Who predicted this? Certainly not me, but Chelsea absolutely deserve their lead. They have defended as a cohesive unit using a clever tactical shape, with Pedro Neto dropping deep to make something more like a wing-back system, and attacked with ruthlessness ever since Cole Palmer’s first goal. His second was even better, and the third was a thing of beauty as he linked with Joao Pedro.

What on earth does Luis Enrique do here?

Chelsea 3-0 PSG

45 min: A look at goal for PSG through Joao Neves’s header in the box, but it lacks power and Robert Sanchez gets down low to his right to save.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 PSG (Joao Pedro, 43 min)

Oh this is the best goal of the lot, for me. Cole Palmer picks up the ball inside his own half, spins and drives towards the PSG defence. When he gets to the box he waits for just a beat before sliding a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Joao Pedro. It’s a lovely arcing run by the forward and the finish is even better, dinking it over the stranded Donnarumma and into the net!

Lovely, lovely goal.

Chelsea 2-0 PSG

40 min: Pedro Neto wastes a promising counterattack with a poor cross from the left wing, aimed straight into the gloves of Donnarumma.

Meanwhile, Malo Gusto is booked for a mistimed challenge on Kvaratskhelia.

Chelsea 2-0 PSG

37 min: We’ve barely seen Vitinha in this match, which feels distinctly odd after watching him dictate the Champions League knockout matches, round after round. Credit to Chelsea for keeping him quiet so far.

Chelsea 2-0 PSG

35 min: Caicedo is the second booking of the match, after Pedro Neto earlier, for a robust challenge in midfield – or perhaps for kicking the ball away after the whistle was blown.

The Cole Palmer show

Against the might of the European champions, Chelsea have so far executed their gameplan to perfection. And after what was an underwhelming second half of the season for Cole Palmer, he’s reminded everyone in these first 30 minutes just how world class he is. They deserve to be in front and in control - it’s now just a question of how long they can sustain it.

Chelsea 2-0 PSG

33 min: This has been perfection by Enzo Maresca’s side, smothering PSG’s biggest threats and creating some excellent chances, particularly on the break. Doue has had some threatening moments, but broadly Chelsea have controlled their opponents.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 PSG (Palmer, 28 min)

Stop it, Cole Palmer! This is absolutely magical, cutting in off the right flank, dummying the shot, dummying it again and finally firing into the same corner where his first goal finished. Beautifully done.

Cooling break

While the players take on some refreshments in the heat, here’s a look at Palmer’s breakthrough moment:

Palmer slots Chelsea's opening goal of the game (Reuters)

Palmer celebrates after putting Chelsea in front (AFP via Getty Images)

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 PSG (Palmer, 22 min)

Chelsea make the breakthrough! Just as PSG had been applying pressure, Chelsea break up the other end. Malo Gusto gets the better of a 50-50 on the right wing and surges towards goal, and after his shot is blocked he tees up Cole Palmer. Palmer doesn’t rush, taking a touch before sliding the ball into the corner from the edge of the box.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

18 min: Another chance for Doue, who shuffles inside on to his left foot before letting fly, arrowing a shot towards the bottom corner, but Robert Sanchez gets down well to save.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

15 min: What is Doue doing?! It’s a brilliant move by PSG down the left side which releases Fabian Ruiz, and the midfielder whips a perfect, low cross to the back post. Desire Doue has time to take a touch or just shoot first time, but instead he tries to square the ball to Ousmane Dembele and Cucurella intercepts! That was a huge let-off for Chelsea.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

13 min: It’s a bit of a scrappy match so far, with PSG not being allowed to get into their rhythm and Chelsea lacking the cutting edge to make the most of their forays forward.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

10 min: Pedro Neto is dropping very deep when Chelsea lose the ball, almost like a left wingback, presumably to help counter the threat of Doue and Hakimi on that side.

Everyone thought that was in

Chelsea are looking to stun the European champions, and they’ve started with intent.

Another beautifully worked move forward sees Joao Pedro flick it into the path of Cole Palmer just inside the box, who has the chance to pick his spot. He curls towards the top-left corner, and from where we’re sitting, it looks like he’s nestled it into the net.

But in actual fact, the ball has gone just wide and hit the post behind the goal, ricocheting into the other side of the net. We all thought that was 1-0 - and on the balance of the first seven minutes, it would’ve been deserved.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

7 min: Close! The ball rolls out to the edge of the box to Cole Palmer in space, on his favoured left foot, and the entire stadium expects the net to bulge. But Palmer’s shot bends the wrong side of the post! That’s a big miss by his standards.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

5 min: Enzo finds Joao Pedro sprinting into the left channel and the forward carries the ball into the PSG defensive third. Marquinhos comes across to clear his lines, but a moment later Chelsea come again with Palmer who tees Malo Gusto for a cross, which is blocked at the near post.

Fans have turned up for the occasion

There was a slight concern, seeing the sea of white in PSG’s semi-final win over Real Madrid, that Fifa might struggle to fill up the 82,000-seater MetLife for this final.

But there are very few empty seats that can be seen. A rarity for the Club World Cup.

Chelsea 0-0 PSG

2 min: A bright start by Chelsea here, who don’t look fazed at all so far by their illustrious rivals.

Kick-off! Chelsea 0-0 PSG

Michael Buffer introduces the teams in his imitable style with Chelsea “in the blue corner” and “hailing from Stamford Bridge” – good lord – and now, finally, we’re off.

Chelsea v PSG – live

We’re nearly off – things slightly delayed in New Jersey, it seems. Just time to squeeze in some extra adverts.

Donald Trump in the house for an American celebration

Donald Trump joins Gianni Infantino in the presidential box, on the one-year anniversary of his assassination attempt.

He stands and salutes for a rousing rendition of “Star-Spangled Banner” as three fighter jets fly over the MetLife.

The stadium now has a blueish hue, with a huge red, white and blue pyro display taking place at the culmination of the anthem.

It’s all very American-proud - no surprise there!

Chelsea v PSG – live

Here we go then – the players are heading out at MetLife Stadium. Chelsea or PSG: who will be the (club) world champions?

An extravagant pre-final ceremony

Closing in on 10 minutes until kick-off, and the pre-final ceremony is getting underway.

A massive inflatable Club World Cup trophy replica has been unveiled, which is being pushed into the centre for an extravagant display.

It’s all very golden as a brass band take to the pitch, all decked in reflective jackets. There’s pyro, confetti cannons and yellow gas explosions that resemble the release of a chemical weapon. The Americans love their showmanship.

Now it’s time for Robbie Williams.

Chelsea’s Levi Colwill lauds ‘scary good’ team-mate Cole Palmer

Levi Colwill believes the branding of Cole Palmer as “scary good” suits his Chelsea team-mate perfectly.

Palmer’s face has been displayed on billboards with that slogan around New York this week as part of an advertising campaign for Nike ahead of the Club World Cup final.

“It’s amazing, seeing him everywhere around New York,” said defender Colwill. “It’s surreal and I’m happy for him.”

Asked if he feels Palmer is actually “scary good”, Colwill said: “To say the least! He’s an amazing player. That billboard suits him perfectly well.”

Colwill (right) says Palmer (left) has taken the attention in his stride (PA Archive)

Chelsea vs PSG prediction: Best bets & Club World Cup final betting tips

It will be an all-European affair in the Club World Cup final on Sunday when Chelsea take on PSG at the MetLife Stadium in New York.

Sorry, Chelsea fans, but PSG are currently on a different level and along with the football betting sites we’re backing them to be lifting the trophy. You can find Club World Cup odds of 2/1 for PSG to win with a clean sheet in the process.

Marquinhos calls on PSG to seize ‘golden opportunity’ in Club World Cup final

Paris St Germain captain Marquinhos has urged his team-mates to seize their “golden opportunity” to make history.

The Champions League winners have a chance to complete a quintuple when they face Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in New York on Sunday.

As well as their European triumph – secured with a stunning 5-0 defeat of Inter Milan in May – the crack French outfit won three domestic trophies in 2024-25, including a league and cup double.

Chelsea players train in the heat

Plenty has been written about the heat at this Club World Cup - Chelsea players have been trying to mitigate against it in training

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

Luis Enrique urges PSG to end ‘exceptional season’ with Club World Cup victory

Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique has urged his team of stars to cap their glorious season with victory in Sunday’s Club World Cup final.

“There are 11 stars in this team – we don’t just want one,” said Enrique, alluding to the fact tonight’s winners will be entitled to wear a gold star on their shirts for the next four years.

“That is what we have and I would say it’s not 11 but 13, 14, 15. That is something we have put together to make the team the star.

“We are heading into the last game of the season with very good vibes and it is important for us to finish this historic season in the best way possible.

“It has been sensational from my players, they have been incredible throughout the year. We have made history and want to keep going.”

Luis Enrique has urged PSG to end their season in style (Getty Images)

Team news

Early boost for Chelsea as Moises Caicedo is deemed fit enough to start after suffering an injury scare against Fluminense. Joao Pedro also starts again after his semi-final brace.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Palmer; Joao Pedro.

PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Beraldo, Marquinhos, Mendes; Fabian, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

Enzo Maresca will not change his preparations to face ‘best in the world’ PSG

The odds are stacked against Chelsea this evening but boss Enzo Maresca is taking no notice of pre-match predictions.

“For sure they are a top team, the best team in the world, but every game is different,” said the Chelsea manager.

“I agree with most people, that they are the best in Europe, the best in the world, and the reason why is because they are showing this – they showed it in France, they showed in the Champions League, they are showing in this competition. They are a reference not only for me, but for all people who love football. I really like them, I really enjoy watching them but, at the same time, we are here to try to do our best and be different.

“What worries me about Paris Saint-Germain is what worries me about any team. The way I prepare for the game on Sunday is the same way I prepared for the game against Fluminense.

“It doesn’t change much for me. I try to see where we can hurt them, I try to see where I can prevent them from hurting us and from there I prepare for the game.”

(Getty Images)

Police on high alert in France for Club World Cup final

Tens of thousands of police officers will be deployed in France on Sunday night as Paris Saint-Germain takes on Chelsea in the Club World Cup final thousands of miles away in the United States.

French officials have warned that no fan misbehavior will be tolerated after violence in the country marred celebrations of PSG winning its first Champions League trophy in Germany.

“No gatherings will be tolerated on the Champs-Elysées,” Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told RMC media. “A total of 11,500 police and gendarmes will be mobilized in Paris on Sunday, and 53,000 throughout France.”

French police are faced with a double security challenge, with PSG's match at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey followed on July 14 by France's Bastille Day celebrations.

There was disorder in Paris following PSG’s Champions League win (Reuters)

Club World Cup 2025 prize money: How much will Chelsea earn if they win the tournament?

Here is how the Club World Cup prize money breaks down:

🏆 Total prize pool

£790m

💸 Participation payments (guaranteed)

Europe: £10.12m–£30.17m

South America: £12.02m

North/Central America: £7.55m

Asia: £7.55m

Africa: £7.55m

Oceania: £2.83m

💰 Performance bonuses (added to participation)

Group win: £1.58m

Group draw: £0.79m

Round of 16 exit: £5.93m

Quarter-finalists: £10.37m

Semi-finalists: £16.59m

Runners-up: £23.7m

Champions: £31.6m

🏅 Maximum potential earnings

Performance-only total: £69.22m

Total including top Euro participation: £98.75m

Interview: How Marc Cucurella fought through hell to adjust to Chelsea’s ‘expectation of winning’

As Marc Cucurella engaged in one of his last press duties of what has felt like an interminable season, the focus of a table of journalists at a New York hotel, the left-back’s minute tally for the campaign sat at 4,912 for club and country.

He’ll expect to hit the 5,000 mark today - a figure only the most indispensable can achieve.

“I feel very good to be fair,” he insists, showing the spirit he’ll need against the challenge of the electrifying PSG starlet Desire Doue. But as he stares down the prospect of ending a year of almost constant football as a world champion, Cucurella can only reflect on the imperative adjustment in mentality that brought him to this point, now one of the most relied-upon, revered starters in the Chelsea team.

Read Will Castle’s interview with the Chelsea full back:

Trump to attend FIFA Club World Cup final on anniversary of Butler assassination attempt

President Donald Trump will attend the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday afternoon (July 13), on the first anniversary of the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning in the 2024 election.

The president had no specific public plans to observe the date, though he did speak about it during a taped Fox News Channel interview with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, which aired on her Saturday night show, My View.

“Well, it was unforgettable,” Trump told his daughter-in-law in their Saturday night interview. “I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There’s no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets.”

Enzo Fernandez calls for change as he blasts ‘very dangerous’ Club World Cup conditions

Enzo Fernandez has not held back when revealing the harsh reality of what it’s like to play in the extreme heat that’s been experienced at the Club World Cup, with temperatures on the East Coast reaching as high as 34C.

"Honestly, the heat is incredible,” Fernandez said. “The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy.

“Playing in this temperature is very dangerous, it's very dangerous - moreover, for the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home. The game, the speed of the game is not the same, everything becomes very slow.

“Let's hope that next year they change the schedule, at least so that it remains a beautiful and attractive football spectacle, right?"

Enzo Fernandez is concerned about playing in the heat in America (PA Wire)

The lessons Xabi Alonso will have to learn as Real Madrid humbled by imperious PSG

And here’s Will on how PSG demolished a helpless Real Madrid

Is it too soon to call this “vintage PSG”? This iteration of the Parisian giants has only really begun to come into effect over the last eight months. But after watching the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan fall to their brilliance in Europe, this is becoming the norm for Paris Saint-Germain. They’ve now demonstrated their ability as a giant-killer on the global stage.

The mighty Real Madrid, one of the Club World Cup’s biggest draws to the American audience, were their latest victims.

To say that Xabi Alonso has been given a reality check in the Real hot seat might be a bit of a stretch. The gulf between the side he’s inherited and the footballing powerhouse sculpted by Luis Enrique was apparent before a ball was kicked.

But if the former midfield maestro has his own hopes of “modernising” at the Santiago Bernabeu, he has a long way to go before the Galacticos can scratch the surface of what has been created in Paris.

Joao Pedro announces himself to Chelsea to show boyhood club Fluminense how far he’s come

How did Chelsea make it through to the final? Check out Will Castle’s report from their semi-final triumph over Fluminense:

Against a legend of old, Chelsea have a new Brazilian to deify. They are potentially 90 minutes away from becoming world champions, and they have a mid-tournament acquisition to thank.

Fluminense’s journey in the Club World Cup has been nothing short of remarkable. Running on financial fumes, they’ve slayed European giants and Saudi money machines. Thiago Silva, a beloved former Chelsea figure now spending his final footballing days captaining his boyhood club, has been lauded as the heart and soul of their unexpected success. But at the feet of fellow local boy Joao Pedro, Fluminense’s dream of conquering the globe came crashing down.

Joao Pedro, justifying his £60m price tag in his first start, may well be the missing piece to Enzo Maresca’s puzzle. Two stunning goals from the Brazilian propelled the Blues to the final, proving that the much-tried “versatile striker” playstyle – the one the likes of Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku have struggled to master – may in fact have a place in the Italian tactician’s system.

How Chelsea’s date with destiny could change the trajectory of Enzo Maresca’s tactical evolution

Tournament football can be cruel. It can also act as the making of managers. Enzo Maresca, like Thomas Tuchel before him, will be hoping the latter rings true as his side close in on their date with destiny.

Chelsea have clawed their way to within 90 minutes of becoming, by definition, world champions. Barring a six-minute blip against Flamengo, sparking a loss that proved incredibly beneficial for the Blues’ wider campaign, they have bossed the inaugural Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with the imperious Paris Saint-Germain.

Maresca’s tactical philosophy is slowly beginning to take shape in a way fans can get behind. Suddenly, “Maresca ball” doesn’t feel like such a chore to watch.

Read Will Castle’s full preview from New York:

Noni Madueke leaves Club World Cup camp to complete Arsenal move, Enzo Maresca confirms

Enzo Maresca has all but confirmed Noni Madueke’s imminent switch Arsenal after revealing that the winger has left the Chelsea camp ahead of the Club World Cup final.

Madueke looks set to become the latest player to swap blue for red in London after a £48.5m fee was agreed between the two clubs, with Chelsea giving him permission to undergo a medical.

The 23-year-old will subsequently play no part in Chelsea’s bid to become world champions as they take on Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey on Sunday.

“Noni is in contact with the new club,” he told a press conference. “I guess he is going to be (announced) in the next hours.”

Club World Cup final results

So, how did we get here?

QUARTER-FINALS

Friday 4 July

Palmeiras 1-2 Chelsea

Fluminense 2-1 Al-Hilal

Saturday 5 July

PSG 2-0 Bayern Munich

Real Madrid 3-2 Borussia Dortmund

SEMI-FINALS

Tuesday 8 July

Fluminense 0-2 Chelsea

Wednesday 9 July

PSG 4-0 Real Madrid

FINAL

Sunday 13 July

Chelsea vs PSG (East Rutherford) - 8pm BST

How to watch the Club World Cup final

The Club World Cup final between Chelsea and PSG will kick off at 8pm BST on Sunday 13 July at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

All users can watch a live stream on television and mobile devices by signing up for the company’s DAZN Freemium service, with the option to watch ad-free coverage for £14.99. Users can watch DAZN from anywhere by using the DAZN App on TVs, smartphones and any device with a web browser.

Chelsea v PSG - Club World Cup final

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Club World Cup final.

Underdogs Chelsea face a huge task against Champions League winners PSG, who have looked unbeatable, but a huge payday and the trophy in the revamped tournament are the rewards on offer.