This Wednesday in Rabat, Real Madrid is playing as European champions the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, against the Egyptian team of Al Ahly Cairo.
On Tuesday, Flamengo challenge Al-Hilal.
Officially named the Fifa Club World Cup, this intercontinental competition has been played every year since 2005, after a first test edition in 2000. Although it takes place in February 2023, this edition is that of 2022, the 19th of the 'history.
Chelsea is the defending champion.
For the third time, Morocco is the host country.
If the Spaniards come forward as big favorites in the skin of the most titled club (4 crowns), their task does not look so simple.
Evidenced by the Chelsea final last year at the same time.
The Blues needed extra time to defeat Brazilian club Palmeiras (2-1).
The teams involved
There are always seven teams: the champion club of the host country of the tournament, and the six continental champion clubs of the six football confederations.
Small specificity this year: Wydad AC being both the champion of Morocco, host country, and the winner of the African Champions League, a seventh team was missing.
Cairo-based Egyptian club Al Ahly have been selected as runners-up in the African Champions League.
Wydad AC
, Moroccan club, champion of the host country, but also winner of the CAF Champions League (Africa).
Al Ahly SC
, Egyptian club, vice-champion of the CAF Champions League (Africa).
Real Madrid
, Spanish club, winner of the UEFA Champions League (Europe).
Al-Hilal
, Saudi club, winner of the AFC Champions League (Asia).
Seattle Sounders
, American club, winner of the CONCACAF Champions League (North and Central America).
Auckland City
, New Zealand club, winner of the OFC Champions League (Oceania).
Flamengo
, Brazilian club, winner of the Copa Libertadores (South America).
The format
The OFC champions and the host country champion first meet in a play-off.
This year, Wydad AC also being the CAF champion as specified above, it was Al Ahly who had to compete in the play-off.
The Egyptian club took over Auckland City (3-0) on February 1.
Then come the quarter-finals, in the presence of the CONCACAF champions and the AFC champion.
The first quarter pitted the Seattle Sounders against Al Ahly.
Another victory for the Egyptian club (1-0).
The second saw Al-Hilal triumph over Wydad AC (1-1, 5-3 pens) in a 100% African duel.
Now it's time for the semi-finals, the stage where the winner of the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores enters.
This Tuesday, February 7, Flamengo are due to face Al-Hilal, while Real Madrid challenge Al Ahly on Wednesday.
There will also be a match for third place, as well as a match for fifth place.
Evolution prospects
On December 16, 2022, during a press conference organized to take stock of the World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that he wanted to revolutionize the Club World Cup.
From 2025, the competition will be played with 32 teams, every four years.
A format reminiscent of that of the World Cup selections.
"
The details or the location are still to be discussed
," Infantino said.
This new tournament will take the place, in the calendar, of the Confederations Cup.
Diffusion
The semi-finals (February 7 and 8) will be broadcast on Canal + Foot, the small final (February 11) on Canal + Sport 360, and the final (February 11) on Canal +.
The anecdotes in bulk
Real Madrid is the only team to have managed to retain its title over two successive editions, and even three (2016, 2017, 2018).
The Seattle Sounders are the first non-Mexican team to win the CONCACAF Champions League since 2005 when Costa Ricans won Deportivo Saprissa.
The competition's top scorer is Cristiano Ronaldo with seven goals, and the player with the most appearances is Argentina's Emiliano Tade (11).
The most successful player is Toni Kroos with five trophies won in the colors of Bayern Munich and then Real Madrid (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018).
All editions have been won by European (14) and South American (4) clubs.
The last non-European victory dates back to 2012 with the victory of the Brazilian team Corinthians, in the final against Chelsea.
Additional individual awards, the gold, silver and bronze balls, are awarded at the end of each edition.
The last Ballon d'Or was awarded to Chelsea's Brazilian defender Thiago Silva.
