FIFA Club World Cup: Group F Tips
Group F at the FIFA Club World Cup is a truly global affair as Germany's Borussia Dortmund face Fluminense of Brazil, South Korea's Ulsan HD and South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Dortmund won seven of their last eight Bundesliga matches to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League and they are 1/2 to win the group.
Niko Kovac's men may also be of interest at odds of 25-1 to lift the trophy given their strong finish to the campaign, while they also reached the Champions League final in 2023-24.
Fluminense, who lost 4-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 Club World Cup final, are 2/1 to finish top of the group and just 1/4 to reach the round of 16.
There is a big gap to Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns, who are 12/1 and 25/1 in the group betting, and the section outsiders face each other in a crucial opening fixture on Tuesday.
Tip 1 - Mamelodi Sundowns to finish in top two @ 5/1
Borussia Dortmund are capable of going deep in this tournament, with Jobe Bellingham joining a talented squad that includes Champions League Golden Boot winner Serhou Guirassy.
BVB should win a relatively straightforward group as there are doubts over second-favourites Fluminense, who have made a sluggish start to the Brazilian Serie A season.
They have scored only 15 goals in 11 games despite a soft run of fixtures while South Korean champions Ulsan HD had a shocking 2024-25 AFC Champions League campaign, losing six of their seven matches.
They failed to score in their first four defeats and could be vulnerable against Mamelodi Sundowns, who are worth a small bet to finish in the top two.
Confidence is high in the Sundowns' camp after they claimed their eighth straight South African Premiership title.
They knocked out Al Ahly and Esperance de Tunis - two of the other three African Club World Cup qualifiers - on their way to the CAF Champions League final and could spring a surprise in Group F.
Tip 2 - Karim Adeyemi to score vs Fluminense @ 2/1
There is no shortage of experience in a Fluminense defensive unit featuring 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio and 40-year-old former Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva.
However, they face a dynamic Borussia Dortmund side who won nine of their last 12 Bundesliga matches by scorelines of 6-0, 2-0, 3-1, 4-1, 3-2, 3-2, 4-0, 4-2 and 3-0.
Prolific Guinea striker Guirassy is the obvious threat for BVB, but Germany international Karim Adeyemi may well get on the scoresheet on matchday one.
The winger scored three goals in his last three Bundesliga appearances and struck five times in just 692 minutes of Champions League action in 2024-25.
Tip 3 - Lucas Ribeiro to have over 2.5 shots vs Ulsan HD @ Evens
Tuesday's clash between Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns is not one of the most glamorous fixtures of the tournament, but it is a big game for the Group F underdogs.
Both teams will be targeting maximum points with tough games against Dortmund and Fluminense to come and Sundowns star Lucas Ribeiro has a vital role to play.
The Brazilian attacking midfielder was the Sundowns' top goalscorer during their triumphant Premiership campaign, finding the net 15 times in 26 appearances.
Four of Ribeiro's goals were penalties, but he is also a menace from open play. He racked up 72 shots in the Premiership, more than any other player in the division, and should be backed to have at least three attempts against out-of-form Ulsan.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation