2025 Club World Cup Opens with 32 Teams, Real Madrid Leads Odds

The 2025 Club World Cup kicks off with 32 top professional soccer clubs competing, culminating in the final on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Real Madrid enters the tournament as the slight favorites, holding +400 odds and dominating betting activity by accounting for 26.2% of wagers and 81.1% of betting dollars, making them the biggest sportsbook liability. Paris Saint-Germain follows closely with +450 odds, boosted by their first Champions League title and a significant tightening of their odds from an opening 12-1. Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also strong contenders with +550 and +650 odds respectively, while New Zealand’s Auckland City FC faces long odds at 1000-1. Meanwhile, Real Madrid's participation in the Club World Cup is expected to influence major squad changes, as the club evaluates several players' futures amid interest from other teams and potential transfer moves. These developments underscore the high stakes and dynamic nature of the tournament both on and off the field.