The draw for the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup took place in Morocco today, with Percy Tau’s Al Ahly two games away from facing Real Madrid.
The tournament will take place from 1 to 11 February, with Africa having two representatives in this year’s tournament.
Wydad Athletic Club, as CAF Champions League winners and hosts, as well as Al Ahly, as CAF Champions League runners-up, due to the hosts winning Africa’s elite club competition.
The tournament will take place for the last time in it’s current format with the winners of the six confederations plus the hosts, before FIFA is planning to implement a 32-team version of the Club World Cup in 2025.
This year’s participants are:
– Wydad (winners of the CAF Champions League 2021/2022).
– Al Hilal (winners of the 2021 AFC Champions League).
– Al Ahly (runners-up of the CAF Champions League 2021/2022).
– Seattle Sounders (winners of the 2022 Concacaf Champions League).
– Flamengo (winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2022).
– Auckland City (winners of the OFC Champions League 2022).
– Real Madrid (winners of the UEFA Champions League 2021/22).
Real Madrid are the most successful team in Club World Cup history, having won the tournament four times. But, together with the CONMEBOL champions Flamengo, Los Blancos will only enter the tournament at semi-final stage.
The tournament kicks off with a match between Al Ahly and Auckland City in round 1. The winners of this tie will face Seattle Sounders in round two – with the winners of that tie being drawn against Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, the winners of Wydad vs Al Hilal will face Flamengo in the semi-final.
Club World Cup fixtures:
Round 1:
M1: Al Ahly vs Auckland City
Round 2:
M2: Seattle Sounders vs Winner M1
M3: Wydad vs Al Hilal
Semi-finals:
M4: Flamengo vs Winners M3 (Wydad vs Al Hilal)
M5: Real Madrid vs Winners M2 (Seattle Sounders vs Winner M1)
Final:
Winner M4 vs Winner M5
The tournament was initially set to take place in December 2022 but was moved due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Chelsea are the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2021.
