• Chelsea face Fluminense in Club World Cup semi-finals

• Match being played at MetLife Stadium in New York

• Winner will play PSG or Real Madrid in Sunday’s final

• Get Involved: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

Live Reporting

Emlyn Begley

1. ‘We have one more step to reach the final’published at 19:45 British Summer Time

   Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

   Chelsea

   Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking to Dazn: “We are very happy to be here. We have one more step to hopefully reach the final. That is our target.”

   On Joao Pedro: “He can play in different positions. He is good for me against a low block. His quality in small spaces is really good so hopefully he can help us.”

   On Moises Caicedo’s return from suspension: “We have said many times that every time he is on the pitch we are a better team. Andrey [Santos] was fantastic the other day, he is a young player and following the right players he can improve a lot and Moises is also there for that.”

   On Fluminense: “They have lots of quality, lots of energy at this stage of the season. It will be for sure a very tough game.”

2. get involved

   Get Involvedpublished at 19:43 British Summer Time

   #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

   Watching the big game tonight with my friend Daffy from Sussex, I am a Fluminense fan and Daffy is a Chelsea fan so will be tense in this household. Expecting a close game that may even go to penalties!

   Jordan, Sussex

3. ‘Caicedo is Chelsea’s most important player’published at 19:42 British Summer Time

   Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

   John Obi Mikel
   Former Chelsea midfielder speaking on Dazn

   Image source, Getty Images

   Moises Caicedo is massive for Chelsea and the way they play. When he gets the ball back, he is the guy that breaks up the play and he does it better than anyone in the world. I think he is Chelsea’s most important player.

4. Michael Buffer to announce the teamspublished at 19:40 British Summer Time

   Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

   Nizaar Kinsella
   BBC Sport football news reporter

   The individual walk-ons from players at the Club World Cup has been met with intrigue, laughter and some ridicule.

   However, getting legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer to do them may add a little to the occasion.

   He is slated to read out the names as both Chelsea and Fluminense walk out in the 82,500 MetLife Stadium.

5. Postpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time

   Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

   Image source, Getty Images

   Weird to think Thiago Silva is four years younger than one of his team-mates.

   Goalkeeper Fabio is 44!

6. get involved

   Get Involvedpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time

   #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

   Let’s hope it’s a respectful reunion with Silva. My favourite Chelsea player in history – the GOAT centre back, and what a leader!

   Bryan, St Austell

7. Meet the content creators vying to be a BBC football expertpublished at 19:33 British Summer Time

   The BBC’s search to find a new football expert is under way, with 12 content creators competing in Last Pundit Standing to win a role as BBC Sport’s next football content creator.

   The first two episodes of the show are available to watch on iPlayer, as well as BBC Sport’s YouTube channel and TikTok account, with new episodes every week until 11 August.

   The contestants, who were chosen from more than 400 applicants, will be whittled down through a series of tasks staged at iconic football locations as the creators are challenged by some of the biggest names in the game.

   Find out more here.

8. Postpublished at 19:30 British Summer Time

   Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

   Fluminense only finished four points above the relegation zone last season and are sixth in the ongoing 2025 campaign.

   And now they are two wins away from being world champions.

9. get involved

   Get Involvedpublished at 19:28 British Summer Time

   #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

   As a fan of Brazilian football living in England, I’m really looking forward to this game. Jhon Arias could cause real problems for Chelsea – Fluminense will likely dig in deep and look to hit them on the break.It’s crazy to think that this time last year they were bottom of the Brasileirao. They are picking and choosing their moments to play expansive football!

   Louis, Halifax

10. Postpublished at 19:26 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Image source, Getty Images

    This is Chelsea’s third match against a Brazilian team in six Fifa Club World Cup games this summer.

    They lost 3-1 to Flamengo in the group stage before beating Palmeiras 2-1 in the quarter-final.

    Nobody else will have played three teams from the same country in the competition.

11. Fluminense’s Silva ‘not a spy’published at 19:23 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva says he will help current club Fluminense’s coaching staff with some “interesting details” about his old side.

    Silva, 40, spent four years at Stamford Bridge, making 151 appearances and winning the Champions League, before departing in 2024.

    “I don’t know Enzo Maresca that well, but I know a lot of the players there. I speak to them practically every week and some of them are very close to me,” Silva said after joking that he is “not a spy”.

    “I’m happy about this match. It’s going to be a special day for me, but it will be even more special if we qualify.

    “The expectations are high and the anxiety is high about facing them in a Club World Cup semi-final, so I’m trying to help the coaching staff with some interesting details – but they are things that will stay between us.

    “I was in London a little while ago to see my kids, so I went to training. Of course I can’t give too much away, but we’ve prepared for this match. I think that’s the most important thing.

    “But whoever is on the other side, I think Fluminense have a special crowd, a special aura. I hope that can work tomorrow too.”

12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:21 British Summer Time

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    We want to hear your thoughts on tonight’s semi-final

    What do you make of the decision to start Joao Pedro? Can Fluminense cause Chelsea problems? Or will Enzo Maresca’s side go all the way?

    Let us know through the usual channels!

13. ‘If I win, as a Fluminense fan, I will mock everybody’published at 19:19 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Mani Djazmi
    BBC World Service

    Are other Brazilians supporting Fluminense tonight?

    “They watch the Brazilian clubs’ matches either to supporttheir team, or to support the other team,” says Flu fan Bruno.

    “There were some interviews with fans on the radio and Iwould say 30% will support Fluminense. The other 70% wantChelsea to win, the same way I supported Bayern against Flamengo and PSGagainst Botafogo. That’s the way it is.”

    “My wife, for example, is not supporting Fluminensebecause she knows I’ll be unbearable, screaming all the time. If I win, as aFluminense fan, I will mock everybody.”

14. ‘A chance to play against the best in the world’published at 19:17 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Mani Djazmi
    BBC World Service

    Image source, Getty Images

    The Copacabana fanfest has hosted around 100,000 fans in total – up to 10,000 per game – watching the matches of Brazilian clubs.

    “Everybody was singing the stadium songs like we werethere,” said Bruno Stefano, a 36-year-old Fluminense fanatic, after the quarter-final win over Al-Hilal.

    “Even if you cannot be [in the US] because it’s tooexpensive or you’re working, you try to live the same environment by going tothese fanfests and being among yours.

    “For us, it’s a chance to play against the best in theworld.

    “It’s a joke in Brazil that if Fluminense play Inter Milan,it’s only on a video game. But now it was real.”

    He added: “Fluminense played Manchester City two years ago. Welost 4-0 so we always had in mind that the Europeans are far ahead of us butnow, we see that we are not that far behind. For us, it’s somehow arecovery of Brazilian pride.”

15. Champions League starts tonightpublished at 19:14 British Summer Time

    Image source, Getty Images/FSGC

    The Champions League qualifiers start tonight, which my brother pointed out earlier are basically Club World Cup qualifiers too.

    Anyway I spoke to people from Virtus of San Marino, Noah from Armenia and a few others.

    Here are some of the stories from the first round of qualifying.

16. Very hot, humid conditions may level the playing fieldpublished at 19:11 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Nizaar Kinsella
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Chelsea face Fluminense on a very hot, humid day in New Jersey.

    There is a local heat warning as temperatures can soar up to 35C before kick-off with 55 percent humidity and yet still a chance of storms.

    The pitch at MetLife Stadium was also criticised by Dortmund manager Niko Kovac who said it was like a “putting green”, not a football pitch.

    That could all play into the favour of the underdog Brazilians who may be more used to these hostile conditions.

    They also have far more fans in attendance than Chelsea – if my journey to the stadium is anything to go by.

17. ‘Clubs who played within the rules must feel stupid’published at 19:07 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Pat Nevin
    Former Chelsea winger in BBC Football Extra newsletter

    Chelsea went marching on to the semi-finals with £55m signing Joao Pedro sitting on the bench. Liam Delap and Estevao, who cost another almost £60m, are waiting in the wings. Jamie Gittens – a snip at £48m from Borussia Dortmund – is also ready to join the group.

    So far, so Chelsea. But on the same day this week, they were also fined £27m by Uefa for breaching spending guidelines.

    Fans of other clubs will be flabbergasted Chelsea can continually keep splashing the cash when they have demonstrably broken the financial rules and bent a few others wildly out of shape.

    However, we are in a strange, post-reality world. Getting multi-million pound fines is not considered problematic for the club or for the integrity of the sport.

    Other clubs who sweetly and somewhat naively played within the rules must feel stupid as the Blues cruise to the latter stages of the Club World Cup after qualifying for the Champions League last season, particularly when they consider all the massive financial rewards they provide.

    Chelsea will doubtless sell some of their multitude of excess players to get money in the short term. Noni Madueke looks a likely candidate.

    Right now, however, it feels uncomfortable and indeed risky.

    Then again, I will admit to selfishly really looking forward to a club I favour being a joy to watch next season with the quality they will have on show… how fickle we fans are.

18. Joao Pedro makes his first start for Chelseapublished at 19:03 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Nizaar Kinsella
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Image source, Getty Images

    Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has selected new signing Joao Pedro to start up front over Nicolas Jackson.

    The £55m signing from Brighton makes his first start for his new club with Liam Delap suspended.

    Christopher Nkunku continues in attack with Levi Colwill also suspended and Romeo Lavia out.

    Legendary defender Thiago Silva captains Fluminense against his former club.

    Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Nkunku, Joao Pedro

    Subs: Jorgensen, Penders, Slonina, Sarr, James, Anselmino, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Andrey Santos, Madueke, Jackson, George, Guiu

    Fluminense XI: Fabio, Thiago Santos, Thiago Silva, Ignacio, Guga, Rene, Bernal, Nonanto, Hercules, Cano, Arias

    Subs: Vitor Eudes, Manoel, Fuentes, Samuel Xavier, Ganso, Isaque, Lezcano, Lima, Canobbio, Keno, Soteldo, Paulo Baya, Serna

19. Sixty down, three to gopublished at 18:57 British Summer Time

    Fluminense v Chelsea (20:00 BST)

    Love it or hate it – or less likely remain neutral – but the Club World Cup is coming to an end.

    Two semi-finals and a final and the Copa Gianni Infantino as I’m sure he’d like to have called it will be over.

    But now all eyes are on the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as Chelsea look to book their place in Sunday’s final.