FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Schedule, Predictions, & Timings

After what can be called a season of the underdogs, the new and revamped FIFA Club World Cup is now on the horizon. The Club World Cup has been running for 25 years. However, the tournament has never been as big as it is for the upcoming 2025 edition. With a total of 32 teams selected from 6 confederations, which include teams such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Miami, and the current European Champions, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is poised to be one of the largest and most thrilling football competitions in the world. 

So will the underdogs continue to surprise the world? Or will the footballing giants reclaim their titles? Check out our expert analysis of the Club World Cup 2025 and find out which team is likely to win, schedule, players to look out for, and more.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Schedule

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Predictions: Who Will Win?

From the reigning Champions of Europe to the American Elites, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to be the battle of some of the best teams from all across the globe. Here are some key points and highlights to get you up to speed:

• After winning their first-ever Champions League trophy last month, Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are the current favourites to win the FIFA Club World Cup.
• While PSG may be favourites, the English giants Manchester City aren’t far behind. With a 17.8% chance of taking the title of World Champions, Manchester City are looking strong as ever.
• The German champions, Bayern Munich, Champions League runners-up Inter, five-time winners Real Madrid, and 2021 Club World Cup Champions Chelsea are also among the biggest contenders for the trophy.
• Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, Juventus and Benfica are the other sides who come into the tournament with realistic hopes of reaching the latter stages. 
• European clubs are expected to dominate the tournament. However, the star-studded Al-Hilal and Inter Miami (playing on home soil with Lionel Messi) are among the teams seen as most likely to put up a good fight against UEFA teams.

The Big Six

Here are top 6 teams that are most likely to win the FIFA Club World Cup 2025:

1. Paris Saint-Germain

After dominating Inter Milan 5-0 in a record-breaking Champions League final victory, PSG are coming into their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup with plenty of momentum. Finally ending their wait for European glory, PSG now have their eyes set on the chance of a global title. 

The presence of Atletico Madrid in their group means the path to their victory will not be easy. However, PSG’s squad are in good form and is most likely to win their first game against Atletico Madrid on June 15 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

2. Manchester City

As of now, Manchester City are seen as the biggest challenger to PSG. This may come as a surprise after a disappointing season that ended without a major trophy for Pep Guardiola’s side. But, Man City are defending champions in this competition and arrive in the US with one of the strongest squads. 

Pep Guardiola’s astonishing record is enough to put fear into the hearts of their opponents as well. No coach has won the trophy more than Guardiola (four), succeeding in spells at three different clubs (with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, Bayern in 2013 and Man City in 2023). Manchester City is set to play their first game against Wydad AC on 18 June at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

3. Bayern Munich

Apart from Real Madrid, the German Champions are the only other team that has won the CWC more than once. After winning their 33rd Bundesliga title, Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich are set to make yet another mark at the Club World Cup. Fans also hope to see English captain Harry Kane add to his silverware after he finally lifted his first career trophy with Bayern Munich this season.

Bayern Munich will play their first game of the tournament against Auckland City on 15th June at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

4. Internazionale Milan

Inter Milan’s defeat against PSG in the Champions League final was heartbreaking to put it lightly. After a thrilling semi-final against FC Barcelona, the Italian giants were favourites to win the Champions League. However, it all came crashing down soon after. Still, however, Inter are rated as the most likely team to win their group stages. 

Inter Milan will be playing their first match of the tournament against Monterrey on 18th June at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.

5. Real Madrid

Real Madrid comes in as the fifth-most likely team to win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. While the Spanish Giants may have had a disappointing season in LaLiga and the Champions League, the Los Blancos are far from finished. The new manager and club legend Xabi Alonso is also expected to make a strong start. Fans are also eager to see what Trent Alexander-Arnold, who arrives from Liverpool, can offer to the club. 

Real Madrid will be playing their first match against Al-Hilal on 19th June at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

6. Chelsea

The last of the main contenders is Chelsea, who battled to a fourth-place Premier League finish and previously beat Palmeiras to win this competition in 2021. Like Madrid, it is more likely than not that Chelsea will reach the last eight, at which point they would be right in the mix for glory, particularly if Cole Palmer can recapture his peak form.

Chelsea is set to play their first game against Los Angeles FC on 17th June at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The Underdog Story

The 2024-25 season of football has been the season of the unexpected. So it’s not completely out of the scope to expect some underdog teams to make their mark at this prestigious tournament. The next-best candidates after the big 6 teams are Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and Benfica. 

• Having finished as runners-up and quarter-finalists in the last two Champions League seasons, Dortmund will be eyeing another strong run in a similar competition. 
• Atletico Madrid comes in right after Dortmund. With Julian Alvarez being in excellent form, fans hope to see more from him at the CWC. 
• Juventus and Benfica are a little further back but still feature among the 10 most likely winning teams.

Players to Keep An Eye On

• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami): A three-time CWC winner with FC Barcelona, Messi is probably the best football player the world has ever seen. The FIFA World Cup winner has 5 goals in 5 CWC appearances and is also putting in strong numbers in the MLS with 10 goals in 13 games. 
• Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid): In his debut season at Real Madrid, Mbappe has already lifted the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup alongside the UEFA Super Cup. Despite Real Madrid’s disappointing season, Mbappe has been in excellent form throughout the season and is expected to put up a real challenge for opponents, especially under the new manager, Xabi Alonso.
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City): One of the most prolific strikers in the world, Haaland is yet to open his goalscoring account in this competition. The 24-year-old Norwegian will lead the line for defending CWC champions Manchester City, who meet Italian giants Juventus in the group stage.
• Harry Kane (Bayern Munich): The English captain ended his wait for a career trophy this season, leading Bayern Munich to their 12th Bundesliga title in 13 years. Kane has netted an impressive 38 goals in his 46 appearances.
• Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain): One of the frontrunners for the Ballon d’Or is PSG poster boy Dembélé, who recorded two assists in their UEFA Champions League final victory over Inter. PSG are among the favourites, and are also the first French team to play at the CWC.
• Cole Palmer (Chelsea): Ever since arriving at Chelsea, Cole Palmer has been spearheading Chelsea’s offence with ruthlessness. Hitting double figures back to back in Premier League campaigns and helping Chelsea win the UEFA Conference League last month, Chelsea is a strong contender for lifting the CWC 2025.

Conclusion

The 2024-25 season of football has been nothing short of spectacular. From the newly crowned European Champions, PSG, to the South American fighters at Palmeiras. If there’s one thing to be sure of, it’s that none of these teams plan on going empty-handed. So, who will be crowned the next World Champions? Would Harry Kane increase his trophy cabinet? Or will Inter Milan get some payback for their defeat in the UCL final? Only one way to find out. Tune into the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 from June 14th to July 13th, 2025.

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Aryan Sharma

With a passion for exploring and travelling to the roads long forgotten, experience the world through enthralling stories and adventures. Join me as I share my experiences at some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and quench that pestering curiosity with something exciting!