The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is ambitious.
Set to be a warm-up event for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Club World Cup will feature 32 teams from leagues around the world, including the English Premier League, MLS, Bundesliga, and La Liga.
It’s also unclear, at least before any games have been played, just how seriously it will be taken by the biggest clubs in the tournament, all of whom just finished their domestic season a few weeks ago.
The summer is supposed to be when European clubs shape their roster for the upcoming season, but this tournament has thrown a wrench into that.
The timing should level the playing field between the heavyweights such as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, and the rest of the competition.
With those teams in flux, and fatigued after the conclusion of a nine-month season, there could be room for a long shot to make some serious noise in this tournament.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Real Madrid | +410 |
| PSG | +470 |
| Manchester City | +500 |
| Bayern Munich | +700 |
| Chelsea | 10/1 |
| Atletico Madrid | 15/1 |
| Inter Milan | 17/1 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 26/1 |
| Juventus | 26/1 |
| Palmeiras | 31/1 |
| Flamengo | 31/1 |
| Porto | 38/1 |
| Boca Juniors | 38/1 |
| River Plate | 38/1 |
| Benfica | 38/1 |
| Botafogo | 47/1 |
| Fluminense | 47/1 |
| Inter Miami | 60/1 |
| Al-Hilal | 60/1 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 75/1 |
| LAFC | 75/1 |
| Seattle Sounders | 90/1 |
| Al Ahly | 100/1 |
| Pachuca | 110/1 |
| Ulsan Hyundai | 150/1 |
| Al Ain | 150/1 |
| Monterrey | 170/1 |
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 170/1 |
| ES Tunis | 370/1 |
| Wydad AC | 370/1 |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 370/1 |
| Auckland City | 1000/1 |
They could wind up as a trendy long shot in this market, but Inter Miami ticks a couple of boxes that make them worth a flutter at this price.
Most importantly, the Herons caught a break with their draw.
Inter Miami avoided being placed in a group with any of the favorites, instead landing in Group A with Palmeiras, Porto, and Al Ahly.
Palmeiras and Porto are both odds-on to get out of the group, but Inter Miami isn’t that far behind at +105.
Inter Miami’s roster isn’t as deep as Porto’s, nor are they as dynamic as Palmeiras, but they have plenty of talent at the top of their lineup with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
The landscape of professional soccer shifted a few years ago with the emergence of the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Jordan Henderson were tempted over to the SPL by outlandish financial offers, opening the door for other stars to make the move.
Al-Hilal has certainly played its part, landing Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, and Aleksandar Mitrovic from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Those four players should give Al-Hilal enough of a spark to qualify from Group H, which is headlined by Real Madrid but should be open behind the Spanish giants.
I expect Al-Hilal to relish this rare opportunity to play against the biggest clubs in the world.
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.