2025 FIFA Club World Cup picks

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is under scrutiny for a variety of reasons, but the one that matters most for handicappers is the fatigue factor.

The 32-team tournament features some of the biggest clubs in Europe, all of whom just wrapped up their nine-month domestic season in May. 

Plenty of players on those teams spent last summer playing in Euro 2024 or the Copa America, meaning they’ve essentially had no offseason since 2023. 

It’s hard to be confident that these European giants will be champing at the bit to play in the Club World Cup — which, up until this year, featured seven teams and was viewed as closer to an exhibition than a prestigious tournament.

This may not sound like it should matter when it comes to betting analysis, but when you look at the prices for Monday’s match between Chelsea and LAFC, you start to see how bettors can take advantage of the circumstances of this tournament.

No matter where you are in the world, you can watch the FIFA Club World Cup for free on DAZN. All you need to get started is an email address. No subscription is required, but you will have to make a free account on the streamer to start watching.

DAZN also has premium, paid options available to enhance your viewing experience with HDR picture, Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, and fewer ads. DAZN Premium plans begin at $19.99/month.

Chelsea vs. LAFC prediction

(3 p.m. ET, DAZN)

Chelsea, who just finished fourth in the Premier League and won the UEFA Conference League on May 28, is -410 to beat LAFC, the defending MLS Cup champions. 

All things being equal, these wide odds make sense. Chelsea is in a different world compared to LAFC, even if the latter is the trophy holder in Major League Soccer.

What levels the playing field is the timing of this tournament. Chelsea’s best players are in the middle of soccer’s equivalent of an ultramarathon — having played a busy international schedule last summer, followed by a club campaign that saw them win a European trophy while competing in the Premier League.

The Blues have played matches in England, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Switzerland and Belgium in the past calendar year.

The reward for a successful season won’t be rest but a trip to the United States for at least three matches, but likely more. Chelsea is one of the favorites to win the FIFA Club World Cup — along with Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

LAFC, on the other hand, will relish this opportunity. Teams in the MLS rarely get the chance to play competitive matches against the biggest clubs in the world, so you can rest assured that the Black and Gold will be looking to make life miserable for the Blues. 

Knowing that it won’t be able to outplay Chelsea, LAFC will want to turn this match into a physical tilt, forcing the Blues to play an uncomfortable brand of soccer in an unfamiliar environment (this game will be played in a dome, which will be a new experience for a lot of players on Chelsea’s roster).

And it’s not just the intangibles that make LAFC an intriguing underdog. They have plenty of skill, too. Olivier Giroud, a former Chelsea player, Cengiz Under and Hugo Lloris will be familiar names to European soccer fans.

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The gap in talent between these two teams is still wide, but it’s not a true David vs. Goliath situation. 

No team is going to show up to this tournament not trying to win, but you just have to wonder how much is left in the tank for the heavyweights. That makes Chelsea a vulnerable favorite, even against one of the best teams in MLS.

PICK: LAFC 3:way moneyline (+1200, FanDuel)

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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.