The top two club soccer teams in the world began their FIFA Club World Cup journey in The Palm Beaches. Real Madrid and Manchester City—ranked first and second respectively in UEFA’s men’s club standings—conducted their Team Base Camps in The Palm Beaches this summer while the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was taking place throughout North America. Real Madrid utilized Gardens North County District Park in Palm Beach Gardens while Manchester City trained at Lynn University in Boca Raton. Hosting these FIFA Club World Cup Team Base Camps brought the FIFA Club World Cup directly to The Palm Beaches. The presence of these iconic clubs not only elevated the county’s global profile, but also delivered significant economic and cultural benefits to The Palm Beaches. Hosting these world-class teams underscores The Palm Beaches’ growing reputation as a premier destination for international sports and tourism.
The FIFA Club World Cup is one of the most recognizable international event that brings together the top clubs from each of the six continental confederations, plus the host nation’s champion, to compete for the title of the world’s best soccer club. Real Madrid has won the competition a record five times, while Manchester City claimed the most recent championship in 2023. A Team Base Camp acts as a home away from home for teams participating in the World Cup. A Team Base Camp is a training site and accommodation pairing that will serve as the primary base for teams during the group stage, where they will train, rest and prepare for their matches. 
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission, City of Palm Beach Gardens, and Lynn University collaborated in securing the rights to host both clubs at premier facilities in The Palm Beaches – The Gardens North County District Park and Lynn University. The North County Gardens District Park in Palm Beach Gardens has become a premier soccer destination in Palm Beach County. The 82-acre complex features 10 lighted Latitude 36 Bermuda Grass multipurpose fields built to FIFA regulations, with state-of-the-art LED lighting for optimal play.
The Gardens North County District Park features some of the finest soccer pitches in the state of Florida. However, hosting a team base camp for Real Madrid required a substantial buildout. Tiered seating was added to accommodate partners, sponsors, and team officials. Additionally, temporary climate-controlled structures were constructed to serve as a clubhouse, locker rooms, and training facilities.
The successful recruitment of Real Madrid and Manchester City marks a momentous achievement for our Sports Commission. Real Madrid, widely regarded as one of the greatest sports teams in the world, topped Forbes’ list of the most valuable football clubs for the fourth consecutive year, with a valuation of $6.75 billion. The media exposure, marketing value, and economic impact generated by hosting such elite clubs are invaluable for Palm Beach County.
Real Madrid and Manchester City 5,408 room nights combined directly from the team blocks. These two soccer clubs generated an estimated $3.8 million in direct spending. The media, sponsors, support service teams, and fans are creating significantly more room nights and visitor spending.
Our Sports Commission sourced the Huddle Up Group (HUG), which is a sports tourism, marketing, research, venue and event consulting company, to conduct a comprehensive study revealing the total economic impact and hotel room night demand (outside of the team blocks). This study will be completed by mid August. 
Real Madrid Buildout / Temporary Infrastructure
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission provided financial support that enabled the City of Palm Beach Gardens to construct temporary infrastructure necessary for hosting Real Madrid.
2026 FIFA World Cup
Hosting Real Madrid also positions Palm Beach County to host a top-tier Team Base Camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA recently released the third edition of its Team Base Camp brochure, listing 62 qualified training sites as preparations intensify for the first-ever 48-nation tournament.
The Sports Commission played a pivotal role in securing this opportunity by organizing multiple site visits with FIFA officials, delivering detailed presentations, and submitting a comprehensive proposal. As a result, The Gardens North County District Park in Palm Beach Gardens has officially been qualified as a FIFA World Cup Team Base Camp. In addition, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the City of Boca Raton have also been approved. The FAU Soccer Stadium and the Flagler Credit Union Stadium will be presented as qualified venues. This is a momentous achievement for our Sports Commission, as Palm Beach County is now authorized to host multiple Team Base Camps for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Final selections for Team Base Camps will be made by the 48 participating nations following the Final Draw, expected in December 2025. The draw will determine the geographic zones for group-stage matches, guiding teams in choosing their preferred base camp locations.
