FIFA is bringing back the Intercontinental Cup. What you need to know about the revived tournament
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
Earlier it became known that the FIFA Club World Cup will not be held every year in winter, as it was previously, but once every four years in summer. But the intentions to determine the strongest club in the world every year in the main body of world football did not give up.
The Intercontinental Cup will replace the Club World Cup.
What is the FIFA Intercontinental Cup?
It is a tournament that will replace the Club World Cup, which now goes on a four-year cycle. It, like the old tournament, will be held every year.
What format will the FIFA Intercontinental Cup follow?
But, the format of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup will be different from the old Club World Cup. Whereas in the Club World Cup all the teams were gathered in one country, the Intercontinental Cup will be organised in three stages at once.
The first stage (let's call it stage A) will feature the winners of the CAF Champions League, OFC Champions League and AFC Champions League.
They will play each other in two stages: the winner of the match between the representative of the Oceania confederation and the African or Asian confederation (the participant of this match will be determined by a draw) will play the one who in the draw between the African and Asian confederation got a direct ticket to the final.
In the second stage (which will be stage B), the winners of the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL tournaments will play a face-to-face match. These two stages take place on the fields of the respective confederations, but the draw will determine who will host the matches.
The third stage will be a play-off stage. The winners of the A and B stages will play in the semi-finals, and the winner of this match will play the winner of the UEFA Champions League in the final.
When and where will the FIFA Intercontinental Cup matches take place?
The first and second leg matches will be played on the fields of the respective confederations, while the dates of the games themselves have not yet been set. They will be decided by FIFA after consultation with clubs and confederations.
We know exactly when the play-off matches will take place. The match between the winners of stages A and B will take place on 14 December and the final on 18 December. These matches will take place on a neutral pitch.
Who will participate?
- Real Madrid (UEFA)
- Pachuca (CONCACAF)
- Al Ain (AFC)
- Al Ahli (CAF)
- Auckland City (OFC)
- Botafogo (CONMEBOL)
