Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense: Club World Cup Prediction (26.06.2025)

On June 26, 2025, at 02:00 WIB, the third round of the Club World Cup group stage will take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA, featuring Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense. Bookmakers see the Brazilian side as the favorite. Let’s analyze the current form of both teams, their motivation, and provide our prediction for the match.

Mamelodi Sundowns

The South African side entered the tournament as one of the underdogs in Group F. However, after the first two rounds, they left a very positive impression. For many observers, the team has become a surprise package. Mamelodi Sundowns play an attacking brand of football, which, while entertaining, affects their defensive stability. In some moments, the players clearly lacked the technique or precision to convert the chances they created — and there were plenty.

In the opening match, Sundowns defeated Ulsan with confident control of the game. In the second round, they faced Borussia Dortmund. The statistics speak volumes: xG was 2.74 to 1.72 in Sundowns’ favor, possession at 59%, shots 16:8, and shots on target 4:6. What they lacked was clinical finishing. They eventually lost the match 3-4, but still have a chance to qualify for the knockout stage with a win here.

Fluminense

Brazilian clubs have looked very solid in this tournament, holding their own against top European sides. Fluminense is no exception, especially with their solid defensive structure.

In the first round, the Rio de Janeiro team tightly marked Borussia Dortmund’s strikers, allowing just seven total shots and only three on target. Meanwhile, the Brazilians were sharp on the counterattack: 14 shots, 5 on target. However, Fluminense mostly focused on defense in that match, which ended 0-0. In their second match against Ulsan, we saw a more attacking performance. They dominated the game, although they did lose focus at times during waves of attack. The result was a goal-filled encounter, with the “Rio Tricolor” winning 4-2. A similar type of match can be expected in the upcoming clash.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

There are no previous head-to-head statistics. This will be the first meeting between the two sides.

Prediction

For the match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Fluminense, we predict a high-scoring game. Both teams are fully motivated — the winner is guaranteed a place in the knockout stage. The Brazilians could even settle for a draw, while the South Africans will have to take a more aggressive approach, which they are capable of. Their main strength lies in physicality and set pieces, but we’ve already seen that their attacking mindset can make them vulnerable at the back. In this case, the bet on total goals over 2.5 at odds of 1.97 looks promising.