The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is down to its last game as Chelsea FC will take on Paris Saint-Germain in the tournament final. Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are currently three of the biggest clubs in the entire world, with passionate supporter bases that are among the world’s largest, not just for football/soccer, but for any sport.
While all three clubs have massive fan bases, there are other teams in the field with very large followings as well. Let’s take a look at which clubs have won the hearts and minds of American sports fans, at the 2025 Club World Cup, this summer.
World Cup Dry Run
The 2025 Club World Cup is being staged in America for several reasons, including its status as a precursor to next summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which the USA will be joint-hosting with Canada and Mexico. The United States will be the primary host, however, with most of the matches taking place within the U.S. While none of the host countries are considered favorites in betting markets, such as those listed on premier bet online, a strong performance from any of them could have a massive impact on the growth of football in North America.
The 2025 Club World Cup is a great warm-up act for the really big show next summer. This tournament provides event organizers with an excellent opportunity to work the kinks out before next summer. It’s a chance to figure out, on multiple levels, the best ways to maximize next summer’s massive event.
Al Hilal Upset Specialists
If there is one thing in sports that everyone loves, it’s an underdog. Underdogs become even more lovable when they pull off the big upset, as Al Hilal did in the round of 16 over Manchester City. The Saudi Pro League club bested what might arguably be the world’s richest and most powerful club, at least currently, 4-3 in a seven goal thriller.
“We knew it was a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world,” Al Hilal central defender Kalidou Koulibaly said after the massive upset that nobody saw coming, on June 30. “We wanted to show our ideas, our talent, our power and I think that we made a very good game.
“Defensively we were very strong and offensively all of the opportunities we could put inside we put in, so we can be happy.”
Al Hilal made plenty of new fans on that hot summer night in Orlando, Florida.
Manchester City #1 on the Computer
On the other side of that coin, Manchester City is arguably the world’s most popular team among young Generation Xers, millenials, Gen-Zs and younger. That’s reflected in the polls and studies that show Man City to be the world’s most searched club on the internet. Whether it’s on search engines, social media platforms or other user-generated apps, City receives as much, if not more, attention than anybody.
You saw that strong presence in the digital space carry over to the real, physical world as American stadiums filled up with supporters sporting sky blue.
America is Blue
While there are plenty of fans attending soccer matches in America this summer, sporting sky blue, plenty of others are wearing the royal blue of Chelsea FC. The pride of London, Chelsea is among the most popular of English Premier League sides in America, and have been that way since the early 2000s when Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich bought the club and invested heavily into building a winning product.
Under American ownership these days, Chelsea continue winning ways, under the watch of numerous league supporter clubs, all across America.
Hala Madrid y Nada Mas
Studies consistently show that the most popular soccer/football/futbol club in America is not the United States Men’s National Team. It’s not a club from the American top flight of Major League Soccer either. It’s actually Real Madrid, the club that has won more European titles than any other.
Yes, “America’s Team,” to borrow the phrase bestowed upon the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s, is Los Blancos. And we have seen that, time and time again, at the 2025 FIFA Club World tournament. From New Jersey to Pasadena, Miami to Philadelphia, you will find no shortage of supporters who will sing and chant “Hala Madrid y Nada Mas.”