Tournament favorites
These teams are expected to reach the late rounds.
18 clubs · no lifelong commitment
Find a club worth three matches.
Every guide covers the team’s style, players and main drawback. Pick three, watch them and keep the one you miss.
The short answer
Start with three, not one.
Pick one familiar team, one different option and one you cannot stop wondering about. Watch each a few times. Change your mind whenever you want.
The quiz uses these same 18 clubs. The list stays small so you can inspect every option instead of trusting a hidden score.
Want a faster start?
Compare the four English clubs in the Premier League guide, or choose among favorites, contenders, outsiders and long shots in the Champions League guide.
Favorites or long shots?
How much pressure do you want?
These labels describe expectations, not predictions.
Strong contenders
A deep run is realistic but never guaranteed.
Outsiders with a chance
Good enough to upset a favorite, with little room for error.
Long shots
One big result could change the whole story of their season.
The full shortlist
All 18, side by side.
Open any guide for players to follow, a three-match plan and the main reason the club may or may not fit.
18 teams · Every shortlisted club.
EnglandTournament favorite
Arsenal
A famous club still chasing its first European Cup.
Watch for: Watch how quickly possession becomes pressure around the opponent’s penalty area.
Read the Arsenal guideSpainTournament favorite
FC Barcelona
A famous club handing big moments to young players.
Watch for: Track the spacing before the ball reaches a wide attacker; the opening is often created several passes earlier.
Read the FC Barcelona guideGermanyTournament favorite
Bayern München
Relentless attacks with Harry Kane in the middle of them.
Watch for: Watch the distance between the midfield and the forwards when pressure turns into a direct chance.
Read the Bayern München guideFranceTournament favorite
Paris Saint-Germain
Quick feet, clever passing and no room for a quiet European night.
Watch for: Watch how the central midfield creates room for an attacker to receive facing goal.
Read the Paris Saint-Germain guideSpainTournament favorite
Real Madrid
Mbappé, Bellingham and a club that expects to win this tournament.
Watch for: When Madrid win the ball, watch how quickly the first pass sends someone toward goal.
Read the Real Madrid guideItalyStrong contender
Inter
Smart movement, hard edges and very little wasted motion.
Watch for: Watch how defenders and midfielders trade positions to move the ball into wide attacking lanes.
Read the Inter guideNetherlandsOutsider with a chance
PSV
An attacking Dutch side with a real chance of upsetting a bigger name.
Watch for: Watch how early passes into midfield try to turn possession forward.
Read the PSV guidePortugalOutsider with a chance
Sporting CP
Sharp attacking movement from a club that keeps developing talent.
Watch for: Watch how attackers rotate positions instead of waiting in one fixed line.
Read the Sporting CP guideBelgiumOutsider with a chance
Club Brugge
A disciplined Belgian side that can make a big win feel enormous.
Watch for: Watch how quickly a compact defensive shape tries to release its first forward pass.
Read the Club Brugge guideCzechiaLong shot
Slavia Praha
A hard-running press from a club you probably have not seen before.
Watch for: Watch how the first wave of pressure tries to force a rushed decision rather than win the ball immediately.
Read the Slavia Praha guideTürkiyeStrong contender
Galatasaray
Big forwards, a fierce crowd and matches that rarely feel quiet.
Watch for: Listen to how the match changes after a pressing sequence, a duel or a near chance. The crowd is part of the rhythm.
Read the Galatasaray guideEnglandTournament favorite
Manchester City
Haaland at the sharp end of one of football’s most controlled teams.
Watch for: Watch how the ball moves to draw defenders away before the decisive run attacks the space they leave.
Read the Manchester City guideEnglandTournament favorite
Liverpool
Fast attacks, aggressive pressing and an Anfield crowd that reacts to both.
Watch for: Watch the first three seconds after possession changes: the next decision often determines whether the attack opens.
Read the Liverpool guideGermanyStrong contender
Borussia Dortmund
Yellow walls, young players and an attack that wants to go forward.
Watch for: Watch how the first forward pass invites runners beyond the ball rather than another phase of control.
Read the Borussia Dortmund guideSpainStrong contender
Atlético de Madrid
Tight defending, hard duels and Julián Alvarez waiting to break.
Watch for: Watch how the defensive line narrows the next pass, then how quickly the first attacker changes direction.
Read the Atlético de Madrid guideItalyLong shot
Como
A first Champions League run with good young players and no old script.
Watch for: Watch how midfielders receive under pressure and whether the next pass turns patience into forward progress.
Read the Como guideEnglandStrong contender
Manchester United
One of the world’s biggest clubs, with no guarantee of a quiet match.
Watch for: Watch whether the first forward action after a turnover creates a chance or leaves the team stretched.
Read the Manchester United guideItalyStrong contender
Napoli
A city that lives the game and a team with several ways to attack.
Watch for: Watch the midfield’s timing: one late run or early forward pass can change the shape of the attack.
Read the Napoli guide