FIFA Club World Cup 2023 in Saudi will be historic and an end of an era

The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup is going to be historic for a number of reasons. It will be the first for a while that the tournament will actually take place in the same year as signified in its title and, more importantly, the first time ever it will take place in Saudi Arabia.

FIFA made the announcement on Tuesday after a meeting of its council, and for fans in the country it means at least that there is going to be another Roshn Saudi League team in the competition yet again.

The latest news came just 72 hours after Al-Hilal reached the final of the 2022 edition, losing a thrilling clash to Real Madrid 5-3 in front of an appreciative crowd in Morocco. It came at the end of an exciting tournament in which the Riyadh giants defeated the champions of Africa, Wydad AC, and South America, Flamengo, on their way to the big game against the European powerhouse.

The announcement also comes after the national team impressed at the World Cup with that famous win against Argentina. And while the triumph of the under-23 team at the Asian championships last year did not make the same number of headlines, it was important nevertheless. Add the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr then it has been a successful few months for football in Saudi Arabia.

Off the pitch, this is also another feather in the cap. Earlier this month, the Asian Football Confederation voted to give Saudi Arabia the 2027 Asian Cup. It will mark the first time that the continent’s quadrennial tournament — and its biggest — will take place in the country. There is going to be plenty of international football for fans to enjoy in the coming months and years.

This is partly a recognition of the work that Saudi Arabia put in during the global pandemic. In