2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Group B Named ‘Group of Death’

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is beginning to take shape as the tournament gears up to host 32 teams from across the globe. FIFA has made major announcements over the past week, including securing sponsorships from major brands like Bank of America and signing a $1 billion worldwide broadcasting deal with DAZN. With excitement building for the event, FIFA has also revealed the group stage draw, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense competition.

Among the most eagerly anticipated matchups are those featuring Mexican club Pachuca, which will face off against the mighty Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Morocco’s Wydad will go head-to-head with Premier League powerhouse Manchester City. However, it’s the groups featuring European and South American clubs that are likely to generate the most intrigue, as teams from these regions have historically dominated the finals of the Club World Cup.

In previous tournaments, it has been easy to determine which groups are the most challenging by using FIFA rankings or by analyzing the overall strength of national teams. But for the 2025 Club World Cup, ranking teams becomes more difficult. Since clubs often compete within their own confederations and rarely face teams from other continents, a more nuanced approach is required to assess group strength.

To determine which group is the most competitive, we can combine two ranking systems. One is based on the Elo ranking method from Football Database, which is commonly used to assess the relative strength of teams. The other comes from Kick Algorithms, which factors in a team’s exposure to the soccer market, long-term reputation, and recent performance. By merging these systems, we can rank all 32 teams from 1 to 32 and identify the toughest groups.

Using this method, Group B emerges as the “Group of Death” for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Group B features a fierce lineup of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Atletico Madrid, Brazil’s Botafogo, and the Seattle Sounders from Major League Soccer. While the group may not feature the massive star power of some of the other groups, the competition between PSG, Atletico, and Botafogo for a spot in the knockout rounds promises to be a thrilling and unpredictable battle. The presence of star players like PSG’s Lionel Messi and Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, coupled with Botafogo’s strong squad following their Copa Libertadores triumph, makes this group particularly hard to call.

In contrast, Group F is considered the easiest group based on this analysis. The group contains Brazil’s Fluminense, Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, South Korea’s Ulsan HD, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. Despite being labeled the “easiest,” this group still offers intriguing matchups. Sundowns’ goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, nominated for this year’s Yashin Trophy, and Ulsan’s Jo Hyeon-woo, who made a memorable contribution to South Korea’s World Cup run in 2018, could pose challenges to the favorites, making Group F one to watch despite the comparatively lower-profile sides.

Additionally, Group B stands out for its star power in terms of market value. Based on Transfermarkt’s valuation, Group B ranks as one of the most expensive, alongside Group H, which features Real Madrid and Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. The clash between these two teams could be one of the most high-profile matchups of the group stage. With Neymar potentially playing his final matches for Al Hilal amidst growing speculation about his future, the stakes for this group could not be higher. Al Hilal’s roster, already containing big names like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, and Joao Cancelo, could see even more star signings before the tournament begins.

Group H is regarded as the second toughest, featuring a potential showdown between two of Europe’s most successful clubs: Real Madrid and Manchester City. The opening match between Real Madrid and Al Hilal is sure to draw massive attention, and the winner of this group could face off against Manchester City or Juventus in the Round of 16. The prospect of a battle between the most recent UEFA Champions League winners early in the knockout stages adds even more intrigue to this already exciting group.

Group C, while not as formidable as Group B or Group H, is also considered one of the toughest. Featuring Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, Benfica, and New Zealand’s Auckland City, this group promises intense competition. Although Auckland City may be seen as the weakest link, the three European and South American powerhouses are sure to deliver exciting matchups. The clash between Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, and Benfica is expected to be one of the highlights of the group stage.

Group A offers the added drama of host nation Inter Miami, which will be led by global superstar Lionel Messi. Miami’s opening match will be against Egypt’s Al Ahly, a team with a massive following but a squad valued at just $30 million, significantly less than some of the European clubs in the tournament. The disparity in financial power and talent is clear, yet Al Ahly’s passionate support and the tactical prowess of coach Pitso Mosimane could make them a formidable opponent for the hosts.

The tournament will officially kick off on June 1st, when Inter Miami faces Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The final match will be held on July 13th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will also serve as the venue for the 2026 World Cup final just over a year later. As the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup draws closer, anticipation continues to build for what promises to be one of the most thrilling editions of the tournament yet.