Chelsea: Could Enzo Maresca claim his first trophy as Chelsea boss in America? The Blues are in with a shout domestically this year, and look revitalized under the former Leicester boss, with Cole Palmer establishing himself as arguably the Premier League's best attacking midfielder.
Real Madrid: Do Los Blancos ever get tired of winning? Probably not. And they have set themselves up for success again by signing Kylian Mbappe. It hasn't been the easiest of starts to the season, but Vinicius Jr and team are still La Liga favorites and can never be counted out in Europe.
Manchester City: The wheels may have fallen off a bit for Pep Guardiola this season. But they still have Erling Haaland, and Rodri should be back just in time for next summer's tournament. Five in a row? Probably not. But that's not the end of the world.
Bayern Munich: Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, maybe Florian Wirtz. Need we say any more? Vincent Kompany has the Bavarians humming this season, and they could be a real threat to get back to winning ways in Europe, too.
PSG: It was always going to be a weird transition into the post Mbappe era. And so it has proved, with PSG running Ligue 1 but struggling in Europe. There's still plenty of attacking talent, as well as exciting midfielder Joao Neves, to consider the Parisians a threat.
Inter: The team that played Guardiola's treble winners even, Inter have retooled adequately this year, and will likely take off in Serie A in the coming months. Lautaro Martinez is in fine form once again, which will have opponents wary.
Porto: There's a team that will be happy to see Ruben Amorim leave for Man United. The Dragones disappointed with a third place finish in the Primeira Liga last year, but Samu Omorodion is banging in the goals up front, and they can give anyone a game.
Benfica: They may be aging, but Benfica are still full of quality. Angel Di Maria has rediscovered his younger self under Bruno Lage, while Nico Otamendi remains a rock at the back.
Borussia Dortmund: The German side will have a recognizable USMNT presence, with both Gio Reyna and Cole Campbell ready to star on home soil. The real appeal, though, might be youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who has impressed immensely on the wing.
Juventus: In other American news, two sure-fire USMNT starters will appear for Thiago Motta's side. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah have impressed when given a chance by the new manager, with Weah finding his goalscoring touch. The Bianconeri have started the Champions League campaign well in their long awaited return to the competition, too.
Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone has been given a new lease of life this season, with a refreshed squad competing in La Liga again. Julian Alvarez has been important, but ex-Chelsea man Conor Gallagher has been the real star, bossing it in center midfield for Los Rojiblancos.
Red Bull Salzburg: Salzburg made it here on a technicality, gaining a spot after Bayern knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League in 2024. Still, they won't care, with a squad full of young talent ready to impress.