Bayern Munich are the next team we focus on in our FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy 2025 team previews.
Bayern made the Club World Cup by virtue of their performance in Europe over the last four years. The German giants have reached at least the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in all four seasons.
Top Fantasy picks, an early predicted XI, leading goalscorers and assist-makers, set-piece takers and more – you’ll find it all here.
How to play the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Fantasy game
BAYERN MUNICH: OVERVIEW
Bayern Munich are aiming for a hat-trick of Club World Cup wins having won the competition, in its more basic form, in 2013 and 2020.
The German side will be a force to be reckoned with, having reclaimed their Bundesliga crown in 2024/25 in Vincent Kompany’s first season in charge.
Bayern cruised to the title, beating previous champions Bayer Leverkusen by 13 points. They scored a staggering 99 goals and conceded the fewest goals in the division.
Their goal difference of 67 was more than double that of the runners-up, not least thanks to the marksmanship of Harry Kane.
Bayern did not fare quite so well in the cup competitions, though. They were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Inter Milan, and eliminated in the DFB-Pokal round of 16.
Group fixtures
Bookies predictions
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | 84.8% | 59.2% |
| Auckland City | 2.8% | 0.8% |
| Boca Juniors | 50.0% | 17.8% |
| Benfica | 62.4% | 22.2% |
League Top Scorers
- Harry Kane ($11.0m, FWD) – 26
- Jamal Musiala ($9.2m, MID) – 12
- Michael Olise ($9.4m, MID) – 12
- Leroy Sané ($8.2m, MID) – 11
League Top Assist-Makers
- Michael Olise ($9.4m, MID) – 15
- Harry Kane ($11.0m, FWD) – 8
- Joshua Kimmich ($6.2m, MID) – 6
Set-piece takers
PENALTIES
- Harry Kane ($11.0m, FWD)
- Michael Olise ($9.4m, MID)
- Serge Gnabry ($8.0m, MID)
Kane is the regular taker for Bayern, with the only efforts from Olise (scored) and Gnabry (missed) coming when the England international was absent.
CORNERS AND INDIRECT FREE-KICKS
- Joshua Kimmich ($6.2m, MID)
- Michael Olise ($9.4m, MID)
- Leroy Sané ($8.2m, MID)
Kimmich and Olise dominated at set plays. Between them, they were responsible for around 86% of the corners that Bayern took in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.
TOP FANTASY PICKS
HARRY KANE ($11.0M) – FWD
Kane finally broke his trophy duck by winning the Bundesliga title this season.
He rattled off 38 goals in 46 matches in all competitions, 26 coming in the league. A further 11 arrived in the Champions League.
A high point was a hat-trick of penalties in a four-goal haul against Dinamo Zagreb.
The England captain scored 13 spot-kicks in all competitions and also weighed in with 13 assists.
Kane had a staggering 114 shots in the Bundesliga and an xG/90 of 0.88, both of which were unsurprisingly club-highs.
Bayern and Kane love being flat-track bullies, and the Bundesliga’s Golden Boot winner, who faces the part-timers of Auckland City FC in Matchday 1, has to be in contention to top score at this tournament.
MICHAEL OLISE ($9.4M) – MID
Olise has been one of Bayern’s most dependable players this season, nailing down his place on the right wing to make 50 appearances in all competitions.
The former Crystal Palace man lit up the Bundesliga with his skill and vision, producing the most assists in the German top flight (15).
He also chipped in with 12 goals, including two direct free-kicks. Remember that you get extra points for direct free-kick goals in FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy.
The set-piece specialist had 90 key passes in the Bundesliga last season, at an average of 2.7, ranking him the third-best passer in the top five European leagues. He also let fly with 86 shots.
The caveat is that there is a bit of uncertainty over what Kompany does in Matchday 1, given that Bayern will be up against a team full of teachers and barbers. Does he preserve Olise, Kane et al for tougher tests against Boca and Benfica?
It’s the fixture we’d all love to target, given the potential for hauls, so a bit of early team news wouldn’t go amiss. As Bayern v Auckland is on the first day of Matchday 1 (albeit 16 hours after the first game), we may get a heads-up.
JOSIP STANISIC ($4.9M) – DEF
Not the most exciting pick on paper but, at the time of writing, probably the most dependable starter in the back four.
Bayern have a centre-half crisis, with Eric Dier ($5.5m) bound for Monaco, Kim Min-jae ($5.6m) injured, Dayot Upamecano ($5.6m) only just back in training after two months out with a cartilage issue and the incoming Jonathan Tah only just arriving.
Stanisic is about the last man standing, then, and he’s also got the versatility to play in either full-back position – as he has done in the last two months – should Kompany wish to rest others.
He chipped in with two assists from full-back positions in the run-in, although of course attacking returns will be harder to come by from centre-half.
Keep an eye out for any early indication that Adam Aznou ($4.0m) may get a start at left-back. The young Morocco international has just returned from a promising loan spell at Valladolid and is expected to challenge Raphael Guerreiro ($5.8m) at full-back this summer.
EARLY PREDICTED XI
Musiala and Upamecano are back on the grass after recent absences, and able to “complete large parts” of training sessions at the time of writing.
There’s huge strength in depth in the attacking midfield positions, with Musiala, Gnabry and Kingsley Coman ($8.8m) giving Kompany plenty of other options for Matchday 1 and beyond. Thomas Muller ($7.0m) could lead the line, too.
Most of the defensive dilemmas are outlined in the Stanisic section above.
READ MORE OF OUR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FANTASY 2025 CONTENT
GROUP A: Palmeiras | Porto | Al Ahly | Inter Miami
GROUP B: PSG | Atletico Madrid | Botafogo | Seattle Sounders
GROUP C: Bayern Munich | Auckland City | Boca Juniors | Benfica
GROUP D: Flamengo | ES Tunis | Chelsea | Los Angeles FC
GROUP E: River Plate | Urawa Red Diamonds | Monterrey | Inter Milan
GROUP F: Fluminense | Borussia Dortmund | Ulsan HD | Mamelodi Sundowns
GROUP G: Manchester City | Wydad Casablanca | Al Ain | Juventus
GROUP H: Real Madrid | Al Hilal | Pachuca | Red Bull Salzburg
Complete Guide | How to play | Bookies’ odds | Set-piece takers | Best team names | FPL Milanista’s top tips, Booster strategy + team reveal | Fixture ticker | Join our mini-league + win prizes! | Team reveals
Best goalkeepers | Best defenders | Best midfielders | Best forwards | Best differentials
Matchday 1 Scout Picks | Best Matchday 1 captains
