Manchester City has the opportunity to redeem their lost season, if they can claim the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup title. The Sky Blues are coming off their first trophyless season since Pep Guardiola’s first at the helm, in 2016-17.
The Cityzens are considered among the favorites to claim the CWC, but they certainly have plenty of stiff competition in Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Manchester City FIFA Club World Cup FYIs
How They Qualified: Winners of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League
Group G Matches:
June 18, 12pm EST, Wydad AC, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
June 22, 9pm, EST, Al Anin, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
June 26, 3pm, EST, Juventus, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Past Titles Won: 1, in 2023
Odds to win it all (via Oddschecker): 5/1
Pep will no doubt have his guys motivated for this tournament, as this is a squad that’s expected to win titles.
Club World Cup Players to Watch: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish
We grouped these two players together, because they currently share so many similarities. Foden and Grealish are two English wingers/attacking midfielders who have seen better days and now have a lot to prove. Both have seen a drop in form and with it a decrease in playing time.
The situation is worse for Grealish than it is for Foden, and Pep has already strongly hinted at the idea of the former Aston Villa man leaving.
Club World Cup Storyline: The Manchester City Makeover
A season without silverware at City can only prelude one thing- a summer of change. This should be a very busy transfer window, with several outgoings and incomings.
Will the new players get here in time to feature in this tournament?
If so, how quickly do they settle in?
City have the second best odds to win it all, behind only Real Madrid. So nothing short of hoisting the trophy at the end will be a major disappointment.
Another Player to Watch: Rodri
We all thought that the Spanish midfield maestro’s season was done back in September, due to that horrific knee ligament injury that he suffered.
However, Rodri did come back strong, finding a way to feature before the season concluded.
Now we get to see all that he truly brings to the table, once again, when he’s fully fit.
2025 FIFA Club World Cup Previews
Manchester City Atletico Madrid Paris Saint-Germain Bayern Munich Real Madrid Borussia Dortmund Inter Miami CF Chelsea FC Juventus
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter