With the European season finally coming to a close, attention turns directly to the Club World Cup, FIFA's shiny new fun competition, soon to be played out in the U.S. summer sun.
But with 32 teams hailing from all over the world, it can be chaotic to summarize it all. How can you piece together RB Slazburg, HD Ulsan and Real Madrid? What is the through line among them? And what are the vibes to be found? Sure, there are three or four clear favorites, but outside of them, it gets a bit tricky.
And there's a good mix here, from obvious favorites to legacy clubs, to a few teams who might just be happy to be picking up a paycheck and selling a few jerseys on a summer tour.
The Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. There are 32 teams in the expanded field. And with less than two weeks until the opening kick, it's time to ask: Who's here to win it? Who's here for the money? Who's here for holiday? Who's got a lot to lose but not much to win?
GOAL US breaks it all down in the 2025 Club World Cup Tier Rankings.