Online ReporterFrom Oleksandr Usyk’s stunning victory over Tyson Fury to Spain’s triumphant campaign at the European Championships, 2024 delivered several unforgettable moments across the sporting world.
With the new year upon us, we turn our attentions to what lies ahead, presenting the top five sporting predictions for 2025.
The World Club Cup – A Potential Misstep?
FIFA’s controversial plans for an expanded World Club Cup take centre stage in the United States this year, with 32 teams competing in a format designed to mirror that of the FIFA World Cup.
While FIFA continues to champion the virtues of the 64-game tournament, scheduled for June and July 2025, the competition has faced significant pushback from both clubs and players.
Featuring heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Boca Juniors and Flamengo, questions remain over whether the top sides will take their strongest squads stateside in the summer.
The inclusion of lesser names like Auckland City, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD – while offering a diverse lineup – could result in low attendances for several matches staged across the 12 host cities.
In an already overcrowded football calendar, FIFA’s decision to expand this competition ahead of next summer’s World Cup seems predictably short-sighted. With logistical challenges and widespread criticism mounting, the tournament is poised to spark significant controversy in the weeks ahead.
Djokovic and Murray to Raise Wimbledon Emotions
In one of the most surprising announcements of last year, recently retired Andy Murray has teamed up with Novak Djokovic ahead of January’s first Grand Slam of the season in Australia.
The main Aussie bookmakers have Djokovic as a firm favourite and should the partnership prove fruitful down under, a long- term relationship could see Murray make an emotional return to SW19 in July, a venue where he twice lifted the trophy and famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion.
The pairing of two of the game’s legends is a mouthwatering prospect, and while now at the back end of his stellar career, Djokovic, now 37, will be desperate to claim a 25th career slam with the mercurial Scot in his corner.
Expect plenty of tears and potential triumphs for two of the greatest players to ever pick up the racquet.
Manchester City: Missing Out On The Champions League?
With their form collapsing at the close of 2024, Manchester City’s dominance of the Premier League looks increasingly fragile. Compounding their struggles is the looming verdict on 115 financial charges, which could lead to severe consequences for the club.
Pep Guardiola has already pledged his future to City with the signing of a new two-year contract, but the strain of the impending judgment appears to be weighing heavily on both him and his staff.
Potential penalties range from significant point deductions to the unthinkable – relegation to the Championship.
Football history offers reminders that even the most dominant clubs are not immune to dramatic falls from grace, as evidenced by Rangers’ financial collapse in 2012, which led to their demotion to Scotland’s fourth tier, and Juventus’ relegation to Serie B following the Calciopoli scandal in 2006.
Once unthinkable for a club of City’s stature, relegation to the lower leagues now looks increasingly likely, with a verdict on the trial expected before the end of the season.
Fury vs. Joshua – Could It Finally Happen?
While no longer the spectacle it might have been in years gone by, the prospect of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally drawing hands remains a distinct possibility in 2025.
A punishing knockout at the hands of fellow Brit Daniel Dubois has left AJ looking in from the outside on an increasingly intriguing heavyweight scene.
Still, the two-time heavyweight champion remains a massive draw, and a fight with Fury would sell out Wembley in minutes.
While purists might prefer a Fury vs Dubois clash, the prospect of Fury/Joshua continues to captivate as one of the most anticipated events in British sport.
Despite Joshua’s recent loss to Dubois and Fury losing to Oleksandr Uysk the clash between Britain’s two most famous heavyweights remains a tantalising prospect for the coming year with the bookmakers placing odds on favourite for a Fury v Joshua fight more than likely to happen.
With Turki Alishekh publicly stating his desire to see the fight take place in 2025, it seems more likely than ever that this long-awaited showdown could finally be on the cards.
Saudis in the Spotlight
Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has further pushed the nation into the global sporting spotlight.
While the Kingdom has already established itself in the world of golf, tennis, Formula 1, and boxing, the awarding of the World Cup is sure to dominate headlines in the coming year.
Saudi Arabia’s significant investment in sports is thought to be part of a broader strategy to enhance its global image, but the spotlight on its human rights record has intensified with this latest triumph.
Concerns over freedom of expression, gender equality, and the treatment of migrant workers are already drawing comparisons to the controversies surrounding Qatar’s 2022 World Cup.
However, with the “Riyadh Season” continuing to expand its portfolio of major fights and sporting events, Saudi Arabia’s high-profile initiatives will likely overshadow much of the controversy surrounding its World Cup hosting rights.
