Manchester City is gearing up to make their debut at the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place in Saudi Arabia from December 12th to 22nd.
The draw for the tournament, held in Jeddah, revealed that Manchester City will face either Club Leon, the reigning Concacaf champions from Mexico, or Urawa Reds, the Japanese AFC Champions League victors, in their opening match.
The FIFA Club World Cup features seven teams, each securing entry by winning one of the six continental confederation tournaments, with an additional slot reserved for the host nation’s league champions. Notably, Manchester City’s participation demonstrates their dominance in the Premier League, earning a place as English champions.
Among the other teams participating in this illustrious tournament are Al Ahly, the CAF Champions League winners from Egypt, Auckland City, champions of the OFC Champions League from New Zealand, and Al-Ittihad, representing Saudi Arabia as the 2022-23 Pro League title holders.
The final slot remains undetermined, pending the outcome of the Copa Libertadores, where Boca Juniors, Palmeiras, Fluminense, and Internacional vie for the title, with the final scheduled for November 4th.
Should Manchester City advance to the semi-finals, they could potentially face off against the Copa Libertadores champions, Al Ahly, Al-Ittihad, or Auckland City in the grand finale. This edition of the FIFA Club World Cup marks the last in its current format, with plans to expand to 32 teams in 2025.
European teams have dominated the past ten editions of the tournament, with Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea among the Premier League clubs securing victories. Real Madrid emerged as the champions in the previous edition, defeating Al-Hilal 5-3 in the final held in Rabat, Morocco.
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