Club World Cup 2025: Group stage matches to watch

The 2025 Club World Cup group stage promises some thrilling matchups, and Ladbrokes highlights the key matches and odds to follow as top clubs clash in the USA.

It's the first edition of the 32-team format, and we've got you covered with all you need to know about the new competition here.

Real Madrid are the favourites to win the FIFA Club World Cup, followed by PSG and Manchester City.

The group stage of the 2025 Club World Cup throws up some cracking matchups, with big names from Europe, South America, and beyond set to collide. With 32 teams battling for a place in the knockouts, there’s no shortage of drama, but a few fixtures really stand out.

Ladbrokes has released the full Club World Cup schedule, but here we pick out ten of the most intriguing group stage fixtures to keep an eye on at the FIFA Club World Cup.

• Sunday 15 June, 1am BST at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

The opening match of the Club World Cup sees Lionel Messi and co take centre stage against Africa’s most decorated club. At their home stadium, Inter Miami will hope to kickstart their campaign with a win before tough games against Porto and Palmeiras.

As well as the Argentinian legend, Inter Miami also contain his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Barca will not feature at the tournament, so their fans know who to support.

Al-Ahly have been regular fixtures this competition, finishing 3rd on four occasions. The Egyptian champions will fancy their chances against a team with plenty of star power, but that are showing their age.

• Sunday 15 June, 11pm BST at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

This could be one of the most interesting encounters in the group stage. Porto have had an underwhelming season, finishing 3rd in the Primeira Liga and not making any waves in the Europa League.

It will be the first opportunity for many English audiences to see the burgeoning 18-year-old Palmeiras sensation Estevao Willian, who has already agreed to join Chelsea.

The winner of this match will put themselves in a great position to emerge as the winner of Group A, even with the presence of Lionel Messi in the group.

• Sunday June 15, 8pm BST at Rose Bowl, Pasadena

The standout fixture of the group stage as two of Europe’s biggest names go head-to-head in what should be a superb match. It's the first chance to watch the newly crowned Champions League winners PSG and Ballon d'Or favourite Ousmane Dembele.

These two actually only met for their first ever competitive match earlier this season, with Atletico winning in the most Diego Simeone fashion imaginable. A 2-1 win in the league phase at the Parc des Princes, with 30% possession and a stoppage time winner. Luis Enrique will be out for revenge.

With Botafogo and Seattle Sounders also in Group B, it's fair to say that it's the Club World Cup's 'Group of Death'. Botafogo, the 2024 Copa Libertadores champions, in particular will look to ruffle a few feathers.

• Saturday 21st June, 2am BST at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Two continental giants with passionate fanbases will clash in one of the highlights of the tournament, one of the games FIFA had in mind with the expanded new format.

Bayern Munich returned to normality by winning the Bundesliga this year and will be one of the leading contenders in the US, in part due to Harry Kane who is the joint-favourite to win the competition's Golden Boot.

Boca are sure to be backed by hordes of their travelling fans, and up front they have the veteran striker Edinson Cavani, who always poses a threat. Expect tackles, noise and maybe a bit of chaos.

• Tuesday 24 June, 8pm BST at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

An all-European matchup that could decide the group. Bayern are usually too strong for Benfica and haven't lost in eleven games against the Portuguese side.

This will be each side's final group stage game so there'll be a lot at stake. Vangelis Pavlidis and Angel Di Maria will provide the main threat for Benfica against a Bayern side who give up chances under Vincent Kompany.

But the Bavarians tend to just outscore their opponents instead, with the likes of Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala ensuring there is a conveyor belt of chances to convert.

• Friday 20 June, 7pm BST at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Chelsea finished the season strongly by qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Conference League, and there's a quick turnaround for one of only two Premier League sides represented in America.

Flamengo are managed by former Chelsea left back Filipe Luis and followers of South American football with be familiar with the mercurial Uruguayan playmaker Giorgian de Arrascaeta.

These two will be the favourites to advance from Group D. The other teams they will play are Tunisian champions Esperance and LAFC, who replaced Club Leon in the competition.

• Thursday 26 June, 2am BST at Lumen Field, Seattle

Inter Milan are reeling from a season that promised so much but ultimately failed to deliver a trophy. Napoli pipped them to Serie A, before their thumping defeat by PSG in the Champions League final.

Now, their manager Simone Inzaghi has departed for Al Hilal, with Cristian Chivu replacing him. Inter still possess bags of quality with Lautaro Martinez leading the line and Nicolo Barella roaming across midfield.

River Plate will back themselves to get out of the group at least, but a win here would really put the cat amongst the pigeons. Head coach Marcelo Gallardo has a great tactical mind and River will still have the services of wonderkid Franco Mastantuono, after Real Madrid failed to agree a deal in time for the start of the tournament.

• Saturday 21 June, 5pm BST at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati

Don’t rule out a shock here. Dortmund have the bigger names and will be favourites to top the group, but had an average season overall. All of the sides ij Group F will think they have a chance of qualifying.

Mamelodi Sundowns have won eight league titles in South Africa in a row and their players feature heavily in the national team. Brazilian winger Lucas Ribeiro provides some star quality.

Jamie Gittens will be a Dortmund player for this tournament at least after they rejected bids from Chelsea, and Serhou Guirassy is among the frontrunners to be top goalscorer.

• Thursday 26 June, 8pm BST at Camping World Stadium, Orlando

One of the most compelling fixtures from the group stage features two European powerhouses that are some way from their best, but it should still produce a cracking game.

Manchester City finished 3rd in the Premier League and without a trophy last season, while its now five years since Juve won Serie A. Erling Haaland and Dusan Vlahovic are two old-fashioned goalscorers and will be keen to make their mark.

These two met in the Champions League group phase, with the Bianconeri emerging 2-0 winners on that day as City slumped in form last winter. Pep has added Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri but lost KDB, so there's some intrigue about how they will line up.

• Wednesday 18 June, 8pm BST at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

This is a rematch of the 2022 final, which was an entertaining 5-3 win for Real Madrid and marked their 5th victory in the FIFA Club World Cup. Real will be hoping to salvage a currently trophyless season.

There's been plenty of change for Los Blancos, who have a new manager in Xabi Alonso and have already added Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen to their squad in time for the Club World Cup.

They shouldn't underestimate Al Hilal in the slightest, who have ex-Premier League stars including Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo. The Saudi side also just poached Inter Milan's manager Simone Inzaghi, and might well be the competition's dark horses.

View the latest Club World Cup odds.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.