Paris Saint-Germain isn’t slowing down. Just two weeks after clinching their first-ever Champions League title with a 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan, the French side struck again with a commanding 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid on Sunday in the first major showdown of the Club World Cup.

Played under intense heat at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the match was one-sided from the start. Luis Enrique’s team scored through Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha, Senny Mayulu, and Lee Kang-in (from the penalty spot).

Atlético, led by Argentine coach Diego Simeone, struggled to recover after Vitinha’s goal just before halftime. Their best effort in the second half—a goal by Julián Álvarez—was ruled out due to a prior foul by Koke.

“I can't blame the heat. We both played under the same conditions,” said Simeone. “They have incredible players, and that’s why they've won everything.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, watching from the stands, was clearly pleased with the turnout: 80,619 fans packed the historic Rose Bowl, which hosted the 1994 World Cup final. Along with the nearly 61,000 spectators at Saturday’s opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly, the numbers helped ease concerns about low attendance at this revamped tournament.

Botafogo wins, but just barely

Later that day, Brazilian powerhouse Botafogo edged out the Seattle Sounders 2-1 at Lumen Field—one of the few soccer-specific venues in the tournament.

The reigning champions of both the Brazilian league and Copa Libertadores jumped ahead with first-half headers by Jair Cunha (28’) and Igor Jesus (43’). But Cristian Roldan pulled one back for the home team in the 75th minute, forcing Botafogo to hold on under pressure until the final whistle.

Both PSG and Botafogo now sit atop Group B with three points.

Rising stars shine in New Jersey

Meanwhile, Palmeiras and Porto played to a scoreless draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—the same venue that will host this tournament’s final and the 2026 World Cup final.

The result leaves Group A wide open, with all four teams (Palmeiras, Porto, Inter Miami, and Al Ahly) tied with one point each. The match featured a standout duel between two of the sport’s brightest young stars: Palmeiras’ Estêvão and Porto’s Rodrigo Mora, both just 18 years old, who impressed particularly during the first half.

Bayern crushes Auckland City

Sunday’s action also included the tournament’s biggest blowout so far. In Cincinnati, Bayern Munich destroyed amateur side Auckland City 10-0.

The German giants, one of the favorites to win the competition, proved far too much for the New Zealanders. Jamal Musiala netted a hat trick, while Coman, Olise, and Müller each scored twice. Sacha Boey added another goal to complete the rout.

With the result, Bayern takes firm control of Group C.

What’s next

Monday brings another highlight: Boca Juniors will face Benfica in Miami in a clash that gained extra weight following Bayern’s win. Also debuting are Brazil’s Flamengo, who will take on Esperánce of Tunisia in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Chelsea—looking to reestablish itself among Europe’s elite—will face LAFC in Atlanta in Group D play.

With information from AFP