A year before co-hosting the World Cup, the USA will be the centre of attention for lovers of club football later this month. From June 14 to July 13, the FIFA Club World Cup is being held stateside. Could Chelsea or Manchester City lift the trophy?
This new tournament may not be great news for footballers who have only just finished a busy 2024-25 season. However, for those of us who love to watch the sport and also place a few bets, it promises to be an absolute feast.Manchester City are the reigning champions, though there were plenty of times last season when they didn’t exactly play like world champs.
Online sportsbooks believe they might just recapture their best form and are the second favourites at 5.50. It’s Real Madrid who are the bookies favourites at 4.5 and they have won the Club World Cup five times, most recently in 2022.This new format sees 32 clubs from around the globe taking part in this tournament.
There were just seven in the 2023 Club World Cup and City had to win just two games to lift the trophy. Seven games will have to be played this summer if a club wants to be crowned world champions.
The 32 clubs have been drawn into eight groups of four. The top two in each group go into the knockout stages. Unlike in some tournaments there is no chance of a reprieve for whoever finishes third in their group.One problem with this Club World Cup is the qualification process.
The vast majority of places were confirmed in 2023 and 2024. Los Angeles FC won a play-in match on May 31 to replace Leon who lost their place due to a multi-club ownership problem.We’ve known since 2023 that Manchester City and Chelsea would be England’s two competing clubs.
They qualified because of their previous triumphs in the Champions League.Therefore, there’s no place for Premier League champions Liverpool or second-placed Arsenal. Other notable absentees include Barcelona, Napoli and Bayer Leverkusen. Don’t worry though, Red Bull Salzburg have qualified due to their performances over a four-year period between 2021 and 2024.
European teams have won the last 11 Club World Cup tournaments. It’s 1.08 that a European club is crowned world champion in July. Other leading European contenders include PSG who could complete a quick-fire double. The French champions are 7.00 to achieve that. Bayern Munich are available at 8.00 with Chelsea at 11.00, while both Inter and Atletico Madrid are at 15.00 with the top 20 UK gambling sites.It’s 9.00 that a South American club lifts the trophy.
They last won the competition in 2012 when Corinthians beat Chelsea in the final. Three of the last five years have seen a Brazilian side be the losing finalists. The most strongly fancied Brazilian clubs with online bookmakers are Flamengo and Palmeiras, both 24.00, though odds are subject to change in the weeks ahead.Let’s take a look at the chances of Manchester City retaining their title.
They have been drawn in Group G alongside Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain and Juventus. You can get odds of 1.4 on them winning the group with Juventus at 4.00. City begin their title defence with a match against Wydad Casablanca and are 1.1 to get off to a winning start.
You can get 34.00 on their opponents winning and it’s 10.00 the draw.The odds of City reaching the quarter-finals are 1.57. Their opponents in the last eight could be Inter Milan, River Plate or Borussia Dortmund. It’s 2.38 they make it to the last four and 3.75 that they make it to the final. Possible semi-final opponents include Palmeiras, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and new European champions.
Chelsea have American owners and they would love to see their club win the title in the US. They had a strong end to the 2024-25 season with Champions League qualification achieved. The Blues also won the Conference League so will want to continue that good form.They will be playing in Group D alongside Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis and Los Angeles FC.
The Premier League club are 1.57 to win the group with Flamengo at 3.25. Their opening fixture is against Los Angeles FC on June 16 and they are 1.4 to win that match with their MLS opponents 9.00 and a draw 5.00.Chelsea are 11.00 to win this competition and 5.5 to be finalists. It’s only 1.5 that the quarter-finals are reached and 3.25 they make it to the last four. If they win their group, they are likely to be in the same half of the draw as Real Madrid and PSG.
This promises to be a fascinating tournament and will certainly provide fans and gamblers with plenty to enjoy in the coming month or so.
