Manchester City begin their defence of the Club World Cup with a group stage clash against Wydad AC of Morocco at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
It is a match which Pep Guardiola’s side is expected to win with ease, though a shock result cannot be ruled out in this new, revamped summer tournament.
Read on as UK bet maker NetBet previews the second match featuring an English side at the 32-team Club World Cup, complete with the latest football odds from our website and app.
And if you wish to include Manchester City vs Wydad AC in a combo bet, our unique Acca Boost feature can increase any potential winnings!
Manchester City vs Wydad AC Preview
City won this tournament in 2023 following their maiden Champions League success the same year, though retaining the crown will not be easy.
Winning any 32-team tournament is a tall order, especially one which contains the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Chelsea.
However, Guardiola’s side ended the 2024-25 Premier League season well, winning four of their last five matches to secure a place in the Champions League for the upcoming campaign.
And while the FA Cup Final defeat to Crystal Palace may still be weighing on the shoulders of the manager, he can at least call on a host of new signings for this tournament.
Kevin De Bruyne’s departure really has been eased by the acquisitions of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders, all of whom are part of the travelling squad and should feature heavily.
Jack Grealish is surprisingly not part of the summer roster as he edges closer to an exit.
So, can Wydad AC from Casablanca shock a new-look City squad in the United States of America? Well, they are the most successful club in Morocco with 22 league titles, though the last triumph came back in 2021-22.
Wydad finished third in 2024-25, drawing 12 of 30 matches but only losing four.
On their day, the three-time CAF Champions League winners are a solid outfit, with winger Mohamed Rayhi a player to keep an eye on.
Stranger things have happened in the world of football…
Manchester City vs Wydad AC Odds
*All odds are subject to change
City are, of course, enormous favourites to win their first match of the tournament at odds of 1.06. Wydad are priced at 25.00, while the draw here is as high as 12.00.
Manchester City vs Wydad AC Betting Tips
Erling Haaland to score first for Manchester City @ 2.30
This always feels like a safe bet to us. Haaland scored in both of Norway’s 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Italy and Estonia earlier this month.
Omar Marmoush to score anytime @ 1.73
Marmoush has enjoyed a promising start to life at City, netting seven goals in his first 16 Premier League outings. We are backing him to find the net once again against a team which could be blown away by the power of Guardiola’s men.
Player to score or assist – Rayan Ait-Nouri @ 2.10
City finally have an out-and-out left-back to call upon in Ait-Nouri. The Algerian scored four goals and assisted seven more in the Premier League last season with Wolves – and he should thrive in the final third even more with higher quality around him.
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