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The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 gets underway this weekend. The 21st edition of the FIFA Club World Cup will run until July 13, and takes place in the USA. There are 12 venues hosting matches across the country, with the final taking place at MetLife Stadium. This is the first tournament under an expanded 32-team format. 8 groups of 4 will give way to a 16-team straight knockout. Teams have qualified for the tournament by a variety of, occasionally spurious, methods. Here’s a full list of format and fixtures as you prepare with our picks, analysis, predictions, and more for FIFA Club World Cup.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Predictions, Analysis, and Picks
The Key Stats
Manchester City are the defending Champions, having beaten Brazilians Fluminense 4-0 in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
Real Madrid has the most tournament wins with 5. They are followed by Barcelona and Corinthians (Brazil) with three victories.
Spain has provided the most wins by nation, totalling 8, in front of England and Brazil with four. Germany has three wins, and Italy has two.
TP Mazembe, of DR Congo, became the first non-European or South American team to reach a semi-final when they achieved the feat in 2010.
Europe is represented by 11 teams, and their dominance is illustrated by the fact that they have the top nine teams in the outright betting market.
The Contenders
Europe
Real Madrid 4/1 – Real Madrid come into this having undergone a bit of a reset. Xabi Alonso has replaced Carlo Ancelotti as manager, and as a result will be looking to make a good impression here. Real have also spent some money buying out the contract of Liverpool star Trent Alexander Arnold early just to play in this competition.
However, they repeatedly looked vulnerable against top-class opposition last season. Particularly in the Champions League, they struggled against city neighbours Atletico, and lost against Liverpool, Arsenal, and AC Milan. At 4/1, although they will be a popular bet, they are too short for me.
Manchester City 5/1 – Despite a poor season by their standards, Manchester City are 2nd favourites to land the FIFA Club World Cup. They have already spent a ton of money in the off-season, but as a result of that, I see them in somewhat of a transition, and this tournament may have come too early to see them at their best. They find themselves in a very easy group with WAC Casablanca, Juventus and Al Ain. This will see them into the knockout stages, but they consistently struggled with top European opposition last season and I can see that continuing,
PSG 5/1 – Have to be live contenders having thoroughly dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 recently in the UEFA Champions League Final. They aren’t in the most straightforward group, Atletico Madrid and Botafogo will keep them honest, but they’re impossible to ignore. 5/1 is a hair too short but they are my preference amongst those at the very top of the market.
Bayern Munich 7/1 – My assertion is that Bayern Munich will get found out against the top teams. They failed to beat Aston Villa, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Feyenoord in the Champions League in 24/25. The German champions are capable of running up a score though, they love bullying bad teams. With tournament outsiders Auckland City in their group and that could get ugly for the New Zealanders. I think, ultimately, they’ll fall short.
Chelsea 10/1 – I watched Chelsea plenty in 24/25. They’re not good enough. They have a shortage of strikers, the only recognised bagsman is Nicholas Jackson and he’s a real Jekyll and Hyde character. They don’t have too much opposition in their group so expect them to qualify from that. However, I won’t be betting them.
Atletico Madrid 14/1 – A really interesting contender at a big price. Their Champions League form was as good as anybody bar PSG, and domestically weren’t far behind the big 2 in Spain. They have comparable form to those at the top of the market but are 3 times the price. That is the main selling point here, and the fact that they have a tricky group draw just serves to improve the value.
Inter Milan 14/1 – As the season went on they seemed to age before our eyes. Inter were thumped 5-0 by PSG in UEFSA the Champions League Final and I don’t know if they’ll have the appetite for this after such a crushing loss.
Borussia Dortmund (25/1), Juventus (25/1) and FC Porto are all a level below the European big boys, and I can’t see them landing a serious blow, and FC Salzburg (80/1) have no business being here at all.
South America
In South America, Brazilian teams currently dominate the region over the Argentinians. The last 6 Copa Libertadores winners have all been Brazilian, and the last 4 finals were contested exclusively by Brazilian teams.
Palmeiras (Bra) 33/1 – They have the strongest squad in Brazil. Manager Abel Fereira has a good tournament record having won both the Copa and the Brasilerao. They should make it of their group. Key players include Estevao, who will join Chelsea in London at the conclusion of this tournament.
Flamengo (Bra) 33/1 – Flamengo are in the same group as Premier League Chelsea and might just give them a scare. They currently sit top of the Brazilian league. Their manager Filipe Luis, ex Chelsea and Atleti, has done a very good job and the have also just signed Jorginho from Arsenal. They score goals, 24 in 11 so far in the league, and will be a lively team to watch. I think they make a deep run here and I’ll be looking to get involved with them.
Fluminense and Botafogo both trade at 50/1 but don’t hold much appeal. Fluminense were almost relegated last year although they’re doing better this time around. Botafogo have a really tough draw, in with PSG and Atletico Madrid, and that’s a problem. They have also lost several of their key men to European teams recently.
Argentina are represented by Boca Juniors and River Plate. Boca (40/1), to put it very simply, aren’t good enough, whereas River (50/1) are well placed to get out of their group but are playing with very fine margins. Either one of Monterey or Urawa Red Diamonds could see them home before the postcards.
North America
Inter Miami 66/1 – The Pink Phony Club are in this tournament by a very loose definition of the rules. FIFA want them there so Lionel Messi can sell TV rights and shirts, so here they are. Poor last season, Miami are 3rd in the Eastern Conference currently, and have some big name players. Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Jordi Alba all carry some cache, or at least did in their heyday. Having been given a soft draw they might make it out of the group but I’m not buying it, and they shouldn’t be selling it.
LAFC 80/1 – The 2024 US Open Cup winners won in a playoff against Club America to claim the last spot in the line-up. Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris are names that European fans will recognise. LAFC have been given a really tough draw, taking on Chelsea and Flamengo, and I can’t see them advancing.
Seattle Sounders 100/1 – Average league form and an impossible draw leave them out of this at the first hurdle.
Mexico are represented by Pachuca (150/1) and Monterrey (250/1). Led by ex-Newcastle hitman Salomon Rondon. Pachuca aren’t terrible but have their work cut out in a tough group. Monterey are 5th best currently in Mexico and will need something out of a key fixture with River Plate to make it to Round 2. Sergio Ramos is their key man.
Best of the Rest
Al Hilal Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) 66/1 – It won’t be the worst thing for the organisers if the Saudi team make a splash at the FIFA World Club Cup. They’ve scored a lot of goals in the Saudi Pro League and have some Premier League quality in their ranks. Aleksander Mitrovic has 28 goals in all competitions. They count Real Madrid amongst their group opponents but could easily get a result against RB Salzburg and make the knockout stages. Not without hope.
Al Ahly Cairo (Egypt) 125/1 – African Champions League regulars and no stranger to playing in big matches. The Egyptians are an experienced outfit and could be a banana skin for group opponents Porto, Palmeiras and Miami.
Al Ain SCC (UAE) 200-1 – 5th in the UAE league, are a really negative side. They have Manchester City and Juventus to contend with, and even parking the bus might not be enough to keep them competitive.
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan 250/1) – 3rd in the J-League, they may well be held back by their terrible record away from home.
Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia) 500/1 – Have had a fine season domestically completing a famous Treble. Tactically disciplined and with 15 clean sheets in 30 games, the North Africans will be a tough out for their group opponents.
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) 500/1 – 8 consecutive South African league titles tell of their domestic dominance. They have a bit of attacking flair and I’m looking forward to watching them. They are a good shout in Both Teams to Score markets.
WAC Casablanca (Morocco) 500/1 – Quite a dull profile for the team sitting 2nd in the Moroccan league. They also face both Manchester City and Juventus in group action, making it difficult for them to make any impact.
Auckland City (New Zealand) 1250/1 – This is their 12th appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup. Auckland City won the Oceania Champions League. However, they are way out of their depth and will be lucky to avoid at least one demolition.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 Outright Bets
The way PSG hammered Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final lives fresh in the mind. That was no fluke; in the second part of the season, they were the best team in Europe. Qatari owners would also love to make a splash on the global stage, so they’ll be going for it.
Atletico Madrid competed at the top table in Europe all season and did not fall far short. 14/1 is a disrespectful price.
Flamengo have drawn my eye at a nice each-way price. They can push Chelsea hard in the group stage, then hopefully get a nice run at least to a semi-final
PSG Win 5/1
Atletico Madrid Win 14/1, to reach final 7/1
Flamengo to reach the Semi-Final +650
Group Bets
I’m not convinced by Chelsea, and as a result I think Flamengo can take Group D. Al Hilal Riyadh have plenty of pedigree in their side, and will only need to spring one shock result to make it into the next round. Their group opponents look vulnerable.
Flamengo to win Group D +225
Al Hilal Riyadh to Qualify from Group H +125
Props
WAC Casablanca are completely out of their depth, especially with Manchester City and Juventus as 2 of their 3 group opponents. They set up defensively as it is, so this doesn’t bode well for them being able to trouble the scorers.
Bayern Munich loves to bully bad teams. With Auckland City as group opponents, it won’t take much for one player to steal a march in the Golden Boot market, and Harry Kane might be the one.
WAC Casablanca u2.5 Tournament Goals -120
Harry Kane Golden Boot 7/1
Good Luck!
