2023 Club World Cup to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
The 2023 Club World Cup will be held in Jeddah, the home city of Saudi champions Al-Ittihad, according to FIFA. The tournament will take place from Dec. 12-22 and will feature the six continental club champions, including Champions League winner Manchester City. The tournament will be played at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, which have a capacity of 62,000 and 27,000 spectators, respectively. This will be the last edition of the tournament in its current format before the 32-team version launches in 2025 in the US.
Background
Saudi Arabia was chosen by FIFA to host the 2023 Club World Cup in February. This is part of the Kingdom’s aggressive push to make a bigger impact in world sports. The country is also set to host the 2027 Asian Cup and is expected to bid for the men’s 2034 World Cup.
Al-Ittihad will open the tournament against Auckland City, the Oceania champion, in a first-round game. The winner will advance to the second round, joining Leon of Mexico, Al-Ahly of Egypt and Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan. Manchester City and the South American champion will enter at the semifinal stage. The Copa Libertadores final is set to be played on Nov. 4.
Expanded tournament in 2025
Each continental champion from 2021 through 2024, except in Oceania, will qualify directly for the expanded tournament in 2025. The new format will feature eight groups of four teams, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
Karim Benzema’s participation
Karim Benzema, who helped Real Madrid win the Club World Cup in February, beating Saudi club Al-Hilal in the final hosted by Morocco, will be trying to retain the trophy with Al-Ittihad. The French striker signed with the Saudi champions earlier this year.
Conclusion
The 2023 Club World Cup promises to be an exciting tournament, with some of the world’s best club teams competing for the title. The tournament will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and will feature Al-Ittihad, Manchester City, and other continental champions. This will be the last edition of the tournament in its current format before the expanded version launches in 2025 in the US.