The draw has been made for this year’s Club World Cup, where Manchester City have emerged as the favorites to win the title for the first time, following their triumph in last season’s UEFA Champions League.
Since they are the European champions, City have been placed directly into the semifinals, similar to the eventual winners of the Copa Libertadores. City’s opponent in the semifinals will be either Club Leon, the CONCACAF Champions League winners, or Urawa Red Diamonds, the AFC Champions League victors, who will face off in the previous round.
On the other side of the bracket,Al-Ittihad, the Saudi Pro League champions, will compete against Auckland City, the winners of the OFC Champions League, in the first round. The winner of this match will go on to face Al-Ahly, the victors of the CAF Champions League, with the team that emerges victorious scheduled to play against the representative from South America. Eventually, four teams will battle it out in the final and the third-place match, set to take place on December 22.
The Club World Cup serves as a reward for the winners of continental club championships, but it also adds to City’s already packed schedule this season. The team will be participating in three domestic competitions as well as the Champions League, and they have added a few extra games to their calendar with last month’s UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup at the end of the year.
Both of these tournaments required significant travel and quick turnarounds. The Super Cup was played in Athens, just three days before a Premier League match against Newcastle United, while the Club World Cup third-place match and final will take place just four days before City’s match against Everton on Boxing Day.
City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his frustration with the congested schedule multiple times this season. Last month, he stated to ESPN, “Every year it’s getting worse and worse, and it will be getting worse. I don’t know how it’s going to end, honestly.”
FIFA Club World Cup schedule
Match 1 — Dec. 12
Al Ittihad vs. Auckland City
Match 2 — Dec. 15
Al Ahly vs. Match 1 winner
Match 3 — Dec. 15
Club Leon vs. Urawa Reds
Match 4 — Dec. 18
Libertadores winner vs. Match 2 winner
Match 5 — Dec. 19
Match 3 winner vs. Manchester City
Match 6 — Dec. 22
Match 4 winner vs. Match 5 winner
