The FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar has been moved to February 2021 from its original dates in December, organisers FIFA said on Tuesday.
In a statement, FIFA said this was due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the confederations’ continental club championships that serve as a pathway for the event.
Here is the full statement:
The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020, which was originally scheduled for December, has been subject to the disruptive effect of the pandemic on the confederations’ continental club championships that serve as a pathway for the event.
The introduction of strict return-to-play protocols has facilitated a successful resumption of continental club championships the last of which is now scheduled to conclude by the end of January 2021.
As a result, the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 will now be held from 1 to 11 February 2021, taking place in Qatar as per the original host appointment by the FIFA Council in June 2019.
In line with FIFA’s International Match Protocol, FIFA and the host country will provide the required safeguards for the health and safety of all involved.
The tournament brings together the six continental champions from across the world, with European Champions League winners Bayern Munich the first to have qualified.
It will be the second time Qatar has played host to the world’s continental club champions after successfully staging the 2019 version of the tournament, which was won by Liverpool FC.
A new expanded 24-team Club World Cup was due to be held in June/July 2021 in China but coronavirus-related delays to Euro 2020 and the Copa America, which will be held a year late, have led to the postponement of that plan.
FIFA also opted against moving two postponed women’s age-group tournaments to 2021 and instead will allow the planned hosts to hold those tournaments in 2022.
Costa Rica will host the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and India the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Source: FIFA, ESPN
