And we are off, the FIFA Club World Cup is here and ready to take us by storm over the next four weeks and 63 games between June 14 and July 13, with all matches streamed live and for free by DAZN.
32 of the world's best teams compete across the USA, with the winners set to bank around $125 million - roughly what Paris Saint-Germain earned from winning the Champions League this season.
All 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four, playing each other once in a round-robin format. The top two teams in each group go forth to the Round of 16, which then triggers a single-match knockout scenario until the final.
Al Ahly vs. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami get us underway at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens and the final on July 13 will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
FIFA’s revamped club spectacular has certainly set tongues wagging, and with many of the biggest clubs in the world rolling the dice this summer, this has the potential to be a truly great tournament.
63 matches, all live and free on DAZN. What’s not to like?
In terms of the outright betting, it’s no surprise that European teams dominate the market. Superior squad depth and financial muscle have been factored in, but I am not actually sure Real Madrid should be favourites.
Beaten by Arsenal in the Champions League, Los Blancos also lost out on the La Liga title to eternal rivals Barcelona. After a draining 2024/25 campaign, free-flowing football could be tough to produce for Madrid in the searing heat of the US.
It is the start of a new era for the reigning Intercontinental Cup champions under Xabi Alonso, who have already made a power move in the transfer market by signing Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool.
To be fair the Spanish giants have been handed a dream group-stage draw and should finish top of a Group H that also contains Al Hilal, RB Salzburg and Pachuca.
However, they struggled for consistency this season, and while Alonso is obviously a good manager who deserves his shot at the Bernabeu, it is not a given he will hit the ground running in this tournament.
Consistency and reliability were also in short supply for Manchester City this season, with Pep Guardiola’s side finishing the season trophy-less after a frustrating campaign.
Given his incredibly high standards Pep won’t be travelling to the USA just to take part, and with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri fit and presumably available, and Erling Haaland up top, you can never rule them out, but odds of around 4/1 look plenty short in a field of such depth and quality.
Chelsea are the other English representative here, with both the Blues and Man City securing their places by winning the Champions League between 2021 and 2024.
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Enzo Maresca's men enjoyed a solid end of their Premier League campaign, finishing fourth before going on to lift the UEFA Conference League trophy. Maresca is set to get the chequebook out again this summer, but you feel it would take a monumental effort, and a lot of luck, for them to land another Club World Cup.
Chelsea won this tournament in its previous – and far less expansive – guise in 2021 and while they have a lot of match winners, another triumph seems unlikely.
Bayern Munich will have their backers. The Bavarian giants are a warm order to finish top of Group C, and they have won the Club World Cup in 2013 and 2020. They are in a group with Benfica, Auckland City and Boca Juniors, one of South America’s most iconic sides.
Bayern wrestled the Bundesliga back from the clutches of Bayer Leverkusen this season, winning it at a canter in the end, and any side with Harry Kane up front will always have a shout.
There has been a deluge of money for PSG, who opened at 11/1 in the outright betting when the betting markets first came out in late April.
However after that thumping 5-0 win over Inter in the Champions League final, thus completing a historic treble as part of a near-perfect campaign, Les Parisiens have been the biggest market mover in terms of a winner.
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Their five-goal victory over The Nerazzurri was the biggest winning margin in European final history, and it saw bookies react by slashing their title odds.
20-year-old Desire Doue – a voluptuary baller - is currently the talk of European football, with the brilliant Frenchman ably assisted in attack by another outlandish baller in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and fellow countryman Ousmane Dembele.
Between the sticks Gianluigi Donnarumma might be the best goalkeeper in the world right now, and there is such balance in this slick PSG side.
They are in Group B, and while their draw could have been kinder, it would be a huge surprise if they did not progress from a group that also contains Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders.
Luis Enrique's side are a young and vibrant collective. Indeed, the average age of PSG's starting lineup in the UEFA Champions League final was 25 years and 96 days, so even if they have played a lot of football this season you would think that logically they should still have enough in the tank for another title run here.
As well as the huge prize money on offer, they will be aware they can also make history by becoming the first French team to win this competition.
Enrique deserves huge credit. Under the Spaniard, PSG has replaced its ‘Galacticos’ like Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe with talented young players and the change in policy has certainly paid off big time. The manager is a winner with infectious positivity, and he will want to end this season with a flourish.
At 19/4 with DAZN Bet, PSG are our headline tip to go all the way and land what would be a remarkable quadruple.
In terms of an each-way outside punt, a couple of teams catch the eye.
Borussia Dortmund finished their domestic season strongly, look certainties to qualify from a pretty mediocre Group F, and in short look a little big at 25/1 to win the thing.
Away from the European teams, Flamengo are looking solid under Filipe Luis and could make the business end. The Mengao are sitting top of the 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, and they have some pedigree in this competition having reached the final in 2019 and finishing third in 2022.
However, River Plate’s price really catches the eye at 40/1.
Los Millonarios made the Club World Cup final in 2015, where they ran into a Barcelona side containing a peak Messi.
Their current side are tough to beat, and River have only lost one of 16 matches in the Argentinian Primera Division, with attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono pulling the strings for them.
17-year-old Mastantuono is set to join Real Madrid after this tournament, with a €45 million fee recently agreed for the youngster.
River Plate are second favourites to progress from Group E, but there are real question marks around group-stage rivals Inter Milan after that Champions League final shellacking at the hands of PSG.
If Inter do suffer a hangover after that nightmare loss in Munich, River Plate can capitalise and 40s looks a big each-way price on a side that look solid in most departments.
Odds correct as of Wednesday, June 11, 3:50pm. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s.
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