ZURICH — The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah in December, the soccer’s world governing body FIFA said.
The decision was made following a FIFA delegation visit to Jeddah last week to assess ongoing preparations for the tournament.
“We are delighted that Jeddah, with its state-of-the-art facilities and reputation for hosting major international sports events, has been selected as host city for the FIFA Club World Cup,” President of Saudi Arabian Football Federation, (SAFF) Yasser Al Misehal said according to Reuters.
This means that Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad, who has just added Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante to their ranks will have home advantage for the tournament which runs from December 12-22.
Manchester City will take part in the Club World Cup for the first time after beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier this month.
Al-Ahly of Egypt, Leon, Urawa Red Diamonds and Auckland City will also be part of the tournament, while the final of the seven teams is still to be decided.
“Sport is a key driver of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation under Vision 2030, which has established the Kingdom as one of the fastest growing and most exciting countries in world sport,” Al Misehal added.
The tournament, which will be played from Dec. 12-22, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, as previously announced in February.
“Working closely with FIFA, we are ready to deliver an exceptional tournament and an unforgettable experience for players and fans,” Al Misehal noted.
The 2023 edition of the Club World Cup will be the last of current format — an annual competition with seven teams — which will be discontinued before its expansion to a 32-team event to first be held in 2025 in the United States.
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