Here is all you need to know about FIFA Club World Cup 2023, schedule, date, fixtures, teams, table and more
At the FIFA Club World Cup that has been played in February, every reigning world champion is represented among the seven clubs, and there is also a seat set aside for the host nation.
The latter spot, however, had to be changed as Wydad Casablanca, the Moroccan champions, also won the African championship.
The winner of the seven knockout games will succeed Chelsea as world champion in 2022.
FIFA Club World Cup 2023 semi-final schedule, dates, time, fixtures, teams, format, table, results, score, live stream
On Friday, January 13, the 2023 tournament draw was placed (and was live on FIFA+), determining the seven clubs’ paths to the world championship.
A new, larger version will be available in June 2025, replacing the 2023 edition, which will be the final one played in the existing format.
Except for the third-place match, which skips extra time and goes straight to penalties, if any of the matches are tied after regulation, extra time and penalties (if necessary) will be used to decide the winner.
Where will the FIFA Club World Cup 2023 be held?
Morocco will host the 2018 Club World Cup after hosting the competition in 2014.
Less than two months before the competition, the nation was selected to host, and matches would be held in Tangier (Stade Ibn Batouta) and Rabat (Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium).
The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup match schedule
| Date | Round | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 1 | 1st Rd | Al Ahly 3-0 Auckland City |
| Sat, Feb. 4 | 2nd Rd | Seattle Sounders 0-1 Al Ahly |
| Sat, Feb. 4 | 2nd Rd | Wydad Casablanca 1-1 Al Hilal (Al Hilal advanced 5-3 on penalties) |
| Tue, Feb. 7 | Semi | Flamengo vs. Al Hilal |
| Wed, Feb. 8 | Semi | Al Ahly vs. Real Madrid |
| Sat, Feb. 11 | 3rd Place | Flamengo/Al Hilal loser vs. Semifinal 2 loser |
| Sat, Feb. 11 | Final | Flamengo/Al Hilal winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner |
Every match from Morocco 2022 can be viewed free in over 50 territories, with highlights available globally straight after every game on FIFA+.
FIFA Club World Cup 2023 teams
Seven clubs are taking part in the competition in 2023. The list includes the club champions from all six continents as well as a slot originally intended for the champion of the host country but later reassigned.
The spot as host nation was given to the runners-up of the African Champions League, Al Ahly of Egypt because the Moroccan champions Wydad Casablanca also won the African Champions League.
As a result, they automatically qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup as the African champions.
Here are the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup teams and how they qualified for the tournament:
| Region | Club | How Qualified |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) | CAF Champions League winners |
| Africa | Al Ahly (Egypt) | CAF Champions League runners-up (Assigned host nation berth) |
| Asia | Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | AFC Champions League winners |
| Europe | Real Madrid (Spain) | UEFA Champions League winners |
| N. America | Seattle Sounders (USA) | CONCACAF Champions League winners |
| Oceania | Auckland City (New Zealand) | OFC Champions League |
| S. America | Flamengo (Brazil) | CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores winners |
FIFA Club World Cup expansion
The expanded 32-team Club World Cup, which would commence in June 2025 and be held every four years in the summertime like the World Cup for national teams, was announced by FIFA on December 16, 2022.
The FIFA Confederations Cup, which in the past served as a warm-up event for the nation hosting the men’s World Cup the year before the competition, will be replaced by the new, bigger tournament.
That may help to explain why the USA is apparently a contender to host the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place one year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup for men.
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