After a shock last-16 result on their side of the draw, Chelsea have had a favourable run to the semi-final stage.

Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

European teams dominate the last four

The favourites for the Club World Cup title are still all European sides, with the three remaining European sides commanding the betting market. It’s no surprise that PSG and Real Madrid are leading the way. However, Chelsea are not far behind them, given their favourable semi-final draw.

PSG

Champions of Europe, PSG, have boasted their strong form again in the quarter-finals by knocking out fellow heavyweights, Bayern Munich. Even two red cards didn’t trouble the Parisians. On top of that, they managed to double their advantage in the closing stages despite playing with nine men.

That could harm them against Madrid though as Willian Pacho could be a major absence from their defense. Welcoming Ousmane Dembele back is a huge boost, but their formidable back line is broken up. Therefore, their odds ahead of their semi-final clash with Real Madrid aren’t too appealing.

Real Madrid

Madrid have beaten European opposition to reach the semi-finals too, knocking out another German side, Borussia Dortmund. Their 3-2 win over Dortmund was another sign of the progress Real have made throughout the tournament under new boss Xabi Alonso.

Now their credentials will be put to the ultimate test against the European champions, which may be enough to deter some bettors. Their odds were far more tempting earlier in the tournament, but with Kylian Mbappe back, knocking PSG out would make them out as clear favourites.

Chelsea

Although it was smart to make a play on Chelsea after the group stage, owing to their favourable route to the final, their odds now are almost a quarter of what they were then. The Blues beat Palmeiras in the quarter-finals, and with some incredible squad depth, they’re still at good value despite the demanding schedule.

With the most favourable semi-final tie in the competition, their odds still look rather tempting. Given their form over the last couple of months, the Blues’ chances of beating PSG or Real Madrid in a one-off game shouldn’t be dismissed.

Fluminense

The biggest outsider left in the competition, Fluminense, are aiming to reach back-to-back Club World Cup finals. They were beaten 4-0 by Manchester City in the 2023 final, and they must be wary of facing another English side in the semi-finals at the CWC.

Those gutsy bettors will probably be tempted by their double-figure odds to win the tournament. However, it's probably best to avoid placing a bet on them. Fluminense beating both Chelsea and Real Madrid or PSG would likely require odds much higher than the current ones for bettors to be truly tempted.

Hedging your bets could be a smart play

PSG and Real Madrid are comfortably the two standout candidates at this stage, and facing each other in the semis could be a blessing in disguise for bettors. It’s guaranteed that one of them will reach the final, and on paper, both sides are much stronger than the other two semi-finalists.

With both Real Madrid and PSG at above evens, bettors could choose to hedge their bets and back both sides. An equal play on both sides before the semis would lead to profit as long as one of them win the title.

Chelsea have looked strong in the tournament, but they’re yet to be truly tested by one of Europe’s elite. They couldn’t have picked a better route to the final if they tried. However, that comes with an element of unpredictability as their quality against top teams remains largely unknown..

They may have strolled to the Conference League title, but that is because they played against naturally inferior opponents. In the Premier League, they lost all five away games against fellow top-six sides last season. Therefore, they tend to struggle against stronger sides when they’re not at Stamford Bridge.

While that doesn’t fully dismiss their chances, it does raise serious concerns about whether they could genuinely beat Real Madrid or PSG. The Blues do have squad depth to rival those two, but they lack the same out-and-out quality, which could be key in a potential final.

Regardless of opposition, either PSG or Real Madrid will win this competition given their incredible quality in the ranks. Moreover, both are in formidable form and will take some serious stopping, with their semi-final shaping up to be the game of the tournament.

The chance of a potential profit either way in backing both of those sides to win the tournament seems to be a smart bet, given their potential opponents. It would be smart to place an equal-sized bet on both sides since they will be too strong for whoever they face in the final. No matter how small the profit, it still represents a positive outcome.