Philadelphia is not getting the premier matchup it could’ve had in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup. Instead, it’ll get a game that is less heralded but that might prove more entertaining.

Brazilian clubs Palmeiras and Botafogo booked places in the Round of 16, which will kick off with the two meeting at noon Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. It was the final landing point on a wild Monday, with a number of permutations possible.

Palmeiras won Group A. Botafogo is the runner-up in Group B. They easily could’ve traded places with Inter Miami and Paris Saint-Germain, who travel to Atlanta for a star-studded meeting of Lionel Messi clubs in Atlanta Sunday at noon.

Group B was settled first with simultaneous kickoffs Monday afternoon. Had Botafogo held on for a draw against Atletico Madrid, it would’ve won the group, which would’ve sent reigning UEFA Champions League champion PSG to Philly as the Group B runner-up. Alas, a goal by Antoine Griezmann in the 87th minute changed those plans, PSG winning the group behind a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders and Botafogo bouncing to Philly.

Inter Miami was bound for Philly as the Group A winner when it led Palmeiras, 2-0, after 75 minutes in the Monday night kickoffs resolving that group. But goals by Paulinho in the 80th minute and Mauricio in the 87th pulled Palmeiras even, a superior goal differential giving the Brazilian club the Group A win.

Hence the meeting of the teams that finished first and second in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A last year, Botafogo winning its third title and first since 1995. The club also won Copa Libertadores in 2024. Its majority owner is an American, John Textor, who co-owns English Premier League club Crystal Palace with 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. (Textor is reportedly in the process of selling that stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, it was reported last week.)

Palmeiras won Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021. It is a 12-time Brazilian champion.

The clubs aren’t exactly rivals, Palmeiras based in Sao Paulo and Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro. But they have history: With three weeks left in the 2024 season, the teams were tied for the league lead when Botafogo went to Sao Paulo and came away with a title-deciding 3-1 win. Three former MLS players – Gregore, Jefferson Savarino and Thiago Almada, now on loan to French club Lyon – contributed to Botafogo’s win that day.

Botafogo won the first league meeting last July, again with the teams entering tied on points. And it defeated Palmeiras 4-3 on aggregate over two legs in the Round of 16 of Copa Libertadores.

The winner stays in Philadelphia to take on the winner of Saturday’s Charlotte semifinal, between the Group C winner and Group D runner-up. Those matchups will be set on Tuesday. The Group D runner-up is likely to be either Chelsea or Esperance Sportive de Tunis, both playing their second games in Philadelphia late Tuesday night.

This will be the third game in Philly to feature a Brazilian club. Flamengo opened the tournament here against Esperance de Tunis and defeated Chelsea, 3-1, last Friday.