FIFA has announced a new host country and the timeframe for the postponed Club World Cup, where Chelsea will be looking to become world champions for the first time in the club’s history.
The Blues earned the right to compete at the traditional winter mini-tournament by lifting the Champions League back in May this year – beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side 1-0 in Porto thanks to a Kai Havertz goal.
Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League in May this year to earn a spot in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup that will be played in the UAE. | PHOTO: Courtesy |
The Club World Cup was due to be played in Japan from 9 to 19 December this year, but the nation had to withdraw from hosting duties amid high coronavirus cases there, forcing it to be postponed.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Wednesday evening that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will provide the venue instead, with South Africa – who were favorites to host after Japan’s withdrawal also forced to withdraw amid their own COVID-19 issues.
FIFA is however yet to confirm a definitive start date for the tournament yet but it will be played in early 2022, and Chelsea are due to face Egyptian side Al Ahly and New Zealanders Auckland City, who are among the ten teams to have qualified.
Although Chelsea’s Christmas fixture schedule will not be unaffected, January reverses against Liverpool, Tottenham, and Man City could all be moved, potentially leading to a fixture pile-up at a later date, considering they are also trying to defend their Champions League trophy while also chasing the Premier League title.
The FIFA Club World Cup will be played in UAE early 2022. | PHOTO: Courtesy |
The Africa Cup of Nations is also scheduled to get underway in Cameroon in early January, meaning Chelsea will be without Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Morocco attacker Hakim Ziyech, should the latter earn a recall.
The FIFA Club World Cup remains the only major honor that Chelsea has not won. After winning the Champions League for the first time in 2012, they were beaten by Brazilian side Corinthians in the Club World Cup final that year.
Liverpool are the most recent Premier League side to have won the competition, triumphing in 2019. The Reds needed extra time to see off Brazilian outfit Flamengo in the final after scraping through the semi-finals.
Bayern Munich is the current holder of the Club World Cup. They beat Mexican side Tigres in front of a limited-capacity crowd in Qatar back in February this year.
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