The FIFA Club World Cup begins on Saturday, June 14, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami taking on Al Ahly of Egypt, setting the stage for one month of gripping, exciting football.
Ahead of the tournament’s opener, here are 3 teams we believe will compete right until the end.
PSG begin their first-ever Club World Cup journey with plenty of momentum, having thumped Inter 5-0 in a record-breaking Champions League final victory just over a week ago.
After finally ending their wait for European glory, PSG are in with a real chance of adding an international global title to their growing list of honours.
The presence of Atlético Madrid alongside them in Group B means the path to topping their pool will not be straightforward, though, with those two meeting on 15 June at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Botafogo and Seattle Sounders, the other two teams in Group B, are stronger than some of the sides they could have drawn, so a competitive first round for all four is expected, even if Luis Enrique’s men will be clear favourites.
Manchester City (England)
Manchester City are arguably the biggest challengers to PSG.
That may come as a surprise to some 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 United States with one of the strongest squads.
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). The Cityzens have had an exceptional transfer window so far, and will be right up there with the best.
Real Madrid (Spain)
Very few teams in world football understand how to win a trophy like the Spanish giants Real Madrid. The coaches may change, but the principles remain.
New boss Xabi Alonso will be eager to make a strong start after joining from Leverkusen, as will new addition Trent Alexander-Arnold who arrives in time from Liverpool, while Kylian Mbappé is on a high after winning the European Golden Shoe following a spectacular finish to the domestic season that saw him end with 31 La Liga goals.
His fellow Madrid attacker Vinícius Júnior loves this competition, having scored twice in the 2022 final against Al-Hilal in a player-of-the-match performance, while he also shone in December’s Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca.
