November 29 – FIFA has set the dates for the postponed Club World Cup 2021 to 3 to 12 February 2022. The eight-team draw will take place today.
The Club World Cup 2021 was due to have taken place in Japan at the end of this year but was left without a host when the Japanese pulled out due to concerns over the spread of covid-19.
The UAE stepped in as last minute hosts after FIFA were left scrambling for venues after Japan pulled out. It will be the fifth time the Gulf country has staged the Club World Cup after organising the 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2018 editions.
The Club World Cup is rapidly becoming FIFA’s problem child.
The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in China from June 17 to July 4, 2021 as part of a new expanded 24-team format. However, FIFA had to postpone the tournament to a later year with both the Euros and Copa America having been postponed from mid-2020 to mid-2021 due to the covid-19 pandemic.
February 2022 will see the catch up edition from 2021 but when and where the 2022 edition will be played is now looking uncertain with a packed schedule taking clubs through to the winter World Cup in Qatar next year.
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