Saudi Arabia chosen to host next Club World Cup

Saudi Arabia has been chosen to host the Club World Cup in December.

The Fifa Council, made up of representatives from all the continental confederations, unanimously selected the Middle East country as hosts for the seven-team event, which is scheduled to run from December 12 to 22.

Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, the current Asian champions, were beaten 5-3 by European counterparts Real Madrid in Saturday’s final in Morocco.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia was selected by the Asian Football Confederation to host the 2027 Asian Cup.

The country has previously hosted sporting events including this year's Spanish Super Cup, 2022's world title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua and the Riyadh Grand Prix.

Saudi Arabia has also been reported to be bidding to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Egypt and Greece, alongside rival confirmed bids from Spain, Portugal and Ukraine and one from four South American nations.

The Council confirmed the Fifa Congress would make a decision on who would host those finals in the third quarter of next year.

Karim Benzema kisses the trophy after Real Madrid beat Al Hilal to win the Fifa Club World Cup at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on February 11, 2023. Reuters

A decision on the hosts for the 2027 Women’s World Cup will be taken by Fifa Congress in the second quarter of next year.

The Fifa Council also confirmed the new-look, 32-team Club World Cup starting in the summer of 2025 would feature 12 European teams. Fifa president Gianni Infantino first revealed plans for the new competition on the eve of last year’s World Cup final in Qatar.

The Council also confirmed that all three 2026 World Cup co-hosts – Canada, Mexico and the United States – would qualify