The FIFA Club World Cup intensifies in the USA as we reach the Last 16, with top clubs from around the globe battling for a shot at world champion status. Our feature columnist, John Newsome, breaks down the latest matchups with his signature wit and sharp insight. Don’t miss his latest Club World Cup Highlights and Predictions. You can view all previous analysis from John’s regular column here.
Please note all prices quoted below were correct at the time of publication.
Last 16
Club World Cup (CWC)
Group A
PALMEIRAS – played 3 points 5
INTER MIAMI – played 3 points 5
FC PORTO – played 3 points 2
AL AHLY – played 3 points 2
Palmeiras and Inter Miami progress to the last-16.
Group B
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN – played 3 points 6
BOTAFOGO – played 3 points 6
ATLETICO MADRID – played 3 points 6
SEATTLE SOUNDERS – played 3 points 0
PSG and Botafogo progress to the last-16 on goal difference.
Group C
BENFICA – played 3 points 7
BAYERN MUNICH – played 3 points 6
BOCA JUNIORS – played 3 points 2
AUCKLAND CITY – played 2 points 1
Benfica and Bayern Munich progress to the last-16.
Group D
FLAMENGO – played 3 points 7
CHELSEA – played 3 points 6
ESPERANCE DE TUNIS – played 3 points 3
LOS ANGELES FC – played 3 points 1
Flamengo and Chelsea progress to the last-16.
Group E
INTER MILAN – played 3 points 7
MONTERREY – played 3 points 5
RIVER PLATE – played 3 points 4
URAWA RD – played 3 points 0
Inter Milan and Monterrey progress to the last-16.
Group F
BORUSSIA DORTMUND –played 3 points 7
FLUMINENSE – played 3 points 5
MAMELODI SUNDOWN – played 3 points 4
ULSAN HD – played 3 points 0
Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense progress to the last-16.
Group G
MAN CITY – played 3 points 9
JUVENTUS – played 3 points 6
AL-AIN – played 3 points 3
WYDAD – played 3 points 0
Man City and Juventus progress to the last-16.
Group H
REAL MADRID – played 3 points 7
AL-HILAL – played 3 points 5
SALZBURG – played 3 points 4
PACHUCA – played 3 points 0
Real Madrid and Al-Hilal progress to the last-16.
Club World Cup
Last-16 Knockout Stage
Saturday 28th
PALMEIRAS v BOTAFOGO
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
17.00 in England
DAZN
Palmeiras face Botafogo in an all-Brazilian last-16 tie.
Palmeiras got a victory against Al Ahly sandwiched in between drawn games against FC Porto and Inter Miami, ultimately finishing at the summit of Group A with the same 5 points as Inter Miami but with a slightly superior goal difference.
Botafogo finished Group B as Runners-Up with 6 points, from victories against Seattle Sounders and Paris Saint-Germain and a defeat against Atletico Madrid, which, although was a loss, the Brazilians knew that they could afford to lose as long as it wasn’t by more than 4 goals, due to Atletico’s opening game defeat against PSG by a 4-0 scoreline.
Betfred offer Palmeiras at 13/10, the Draw at 2/1 and 11/5 for Botafogo to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Draw 1-1 (then to penalties)- Get 5/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
BENFICA v CHELSEA
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
21.00 in England
DAZN
So it was Benfica who finished at the summit of Group C, ending with 7 points from victories against Auckland City and Bayern Munich and an opening game draw against Boca Juniors.
It was probably assumed that Bayern Munich would come out on top but as it turned out, the Portuguese were the Group Winners, which in turn has set up this brilliant fixture against Chelsea.
Chelsea had a mixed record from their 3 games, with victories against Esperance De Tunis and Los Angeles FC, plus a defeat against Flamengo sandwiched in between the 2 wins.
Nicolas Jackson will be missing from this fixture serving the 2nd of a 2-game ban due to being sent off against Flamengo.
Whether by design or luck, Enzo’s Blues face Benfica in this last-16 tie and will probably feel this is a slightly better game to progress than if against Bayern Munich.
That said, as always in football, the performance has to be put in on the pitch, not in hypothesis.
Betfred offer Benfica at 12/5, the Draw at 23/10 and 21/20 for Chelsea to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Chelsea Win 1-2- Get 15/2 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Sunday 29th
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN v INTER MIAMI
Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta
17.00 in England
DAZN
The Lionel Messi Derby!
What are the chances?
This Club World Cup has thrown up a last-16 fixture between the 2 teams Lionel Messi last wore a strip for.
Well, to be fair, the chances were pretty good as this knockout game was always going to be against the Winners of Group B, which was more than likely PSG and the Runners-Up of Group A, where Inter Miami had a higher than fair chance of making the Top Two.
The new Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain started off the CWC in blistering fashion gaining a victory over Atletico Madrid by a 4-0 scoreline.
However, it was then a defeat against Botafogo before a final round win over Seattle Sounders.
To be fair, the Loveable YankScots’ latest club (he’s had more clubs than Seve Ballesteros) were the whipping boys of the Group, if not the tournament and couldn’t beat Hartlepool (other lower league clubs are available).
Inter Miami found themselves as Group A Runnera-Up from draws against Al Ahly and Palmeiras with a victory in between against FC Porto.
Limpy Lionel has scored 1 goal up to now but will want to notch against his old employers.
The Teeth, aka the ex-Liverpool Striker Luis Suarez, has also scored 1 goal in the tournament.
Betfred offer Paris Saint-Germain at Odds On 2/11, the Draw at 11/2 and 11/1 for Inter Miami to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
PSG to Win 3-0- Get 15/2 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
FLAMENGO v BAYERN MUNICH
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
21.00 in England
DAZN
Flamengo gained victories over Esperance De Tunis and Chelsea plus a final game draw against Los Angeles FC.
The Bazillians were already at the summit of Group D and knew that they would finish Top if a defeat was avoided, setting up this last-16 tie against Vincent Kompany’s Men.
Bayern Munich gained victories over Auckland City and Boca Juniors added to a defeat against Benfica in the Group finale, to eventually finish as Runners-Up.
Harry Kane has managed 1 goal up to now, with his mate and ex-Crystal Palace star Michael Olise being at the Top of the Goal Scoring Charts with 3 goals from the 3 games played.
There are a few other players with 3 goals but Michael is currently at the summit due to the 2 Assists made for others.
Betfred offer Flamengo at 18/5, the Draw at 11/4 and slight Odds On 4/6 for Bayern Munich to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Flamengo Win 3-1- Get 33/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Monday 30th
INTER MILAN v FLUMINENSE
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
20.00 in England
DAZN
Inter Milan (one has to add Milan to
The Inter as there is another Inter team competing, them being Inter Miami, head to the last-16 following victories against River Plate and Urawa plus a draw against Monterrey.
Fluminense finished as Runners-Up to Borussia Dortmund following draws against Mamelodi Sundowns and Dortmund plus a victory sandwiched in between against Ulsan HD.
Significantly, both drawn games were by the same 0-0 scoreline, with the Brazilians scoring 4 against the whipping Boys of the Group Ulsan HD.
It’s probably fair to say that Inter Milan have had a harder route to the last-16.
Betfred offer Inter Milan at slight Odds On 4/5, the Draw at 13/5 and 4/1 for Fluminense to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Inter Milan Win 2-0- Get 13/2 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Tuesday 01st July
MAN CITY v AL-HILAL
02.00 in England
DAZN
Man City were the only team from the 32 that finished with a 100% record from the 3 Group games, with victories against Wydad, Al-Ain and the devastating destruction of Juventus by a 5-2 scoreline, scoring a combined 13 goals in the process.
Man City are back, it’s official, with the influential Ballon d’Or supremo Rodri back in the team, the sky is the limit for Pep’s High Flying Blues.
The following was included in an EveryTip Premier League Preview back on March 6th, 2025, regarding time wasting in the current game.
‘There used to be a ‘6 Second Rule’ where the ‘Keeper had just 6 seconds to hold the ball before either dropping it to the floor or getting rid of the ball altogether by kicking, throwing or whatever to a teammate.
That rule has dissolved over time and hasn’t been implemented in years, however, there is a New Law coming into force in the Premier League for next season and it is hoped that the New Rule will lead to a reduction in time-wasting.
‘A Goalkeeper holding the ball for more than 8 seconds will be punished with the referee awarding a Corner Kick to the opposition.’
The New Law was unanimously approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its AGM (Annual General Meeting) in Northern Ireland last Saturday and will be in place at FIFA’s Club World Cup, which takes place in the USA from the 15th of June to the 13th of July.’
This was implemented for the first time in the game between Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD with the MD Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams punished for holding the ball for eight seconds.
The referee who administered the new rule was the excellent Frenchman Clement Turpin.
However, the Mamelodi GK was heard shouting,
‘Highway robbery, referee!’
Betfred offer Man City at Odds On 2/7, the Draw at 5/1 and 11/1 for Al-Hilal to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Man City Win 5-0- Get 25/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Tuesday 01st July
REAL MADRID v JUVENTUS
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
20.00 in England
DAZN
Real Madrid qualified as Group H winners, with victories over RB Salzburg and Pachuca added to an opening-day draw against Al-Hilal.
Real know how to progress in a tournament so they will be there or thereabouts come the middle of July.
Juventus finished as Runners-Up behind Man City with wins against Al-Ain and Wydad.
However, City tore the Old Lady to pieces in the Group Finale, with Juve suffering a defeat against Pep’s Blues by a 5-2 scoreline.
One can only see a Real Madrid victory today.
Betfred offer Real Madrid at slight Odds On 4/6, the Draw at 3/1 and 9/2 for Juventus to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Real Madrid Win 3-1- Get 12/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Wednesday 02nd
BORUSSIA DORTMUND v MONTERREY
Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta
02.00 in England
DAZN
Borussia Dortmund finished at the summit of Group F with 2 Wins and a Draw.
The victories were against Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns with the drawn game being against Fluminense.
Jobe Bellingham has made an appearance in all 3 games, managing to score his 1st goal for Dortmund against Mamelodi.
Obviously, Jobe will always be compared to Jude but that shouldn’t be the case and the lad will carve out his own career for himself.
A few years back, there were 2 brothers who just happened to have different careers (not the Neville’s) with both achieving a World Cup Winners Medal for England, playing in the same team.
Let’s hope (if English) that the Bellingham’s follow the Charlton’s down that particular path.
The legendary Sergio Ramos is still going strong at the age of 39 years old and has helped his Monterrey team to the last-16, finishing as Runners-Up to Inter Milan.
Monterrey achieved a victory against Urawa, plus draws against River Plate and Inter Milan, giving Sergio the chance to Carry On Kicking!
Watch your legs, Jobe.
Rest In Peace, Sir Bobby and Jack.
Betfred offer Borussia Dortmund at Odds On 8/11, the Draw at 3/1 and 18/5 for Monterrey to progress to the Quarter-Finals.
Borussia Dortmund Win 2-1- Get 7/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
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