Chelsea, Palmeiras and more are in Abu Dhabi.
Football is coming home to Abu Dhabi this February as the world’s best sides take to the field at the Al Nayhan and Mohammed bin Zayed Stadiums for the FIFA ClubWorld Cup 2021.
Football fans have the opportunity to watch their favourite players showcase their skills in the country’s capital.
Not too sure what’s really going on?
Don’t worry, as Team Yalla has laced up our football boots and are ready to tackle any questions you have about the FIFA Club World Cup 2021 so you don’t find yourself offside when the first whistle blows.
What is happening in Abu Dhabi?
The FIFA Club World Cup is kicking off in Abu Dhabi this February. The champions of the world’s six footballing confederations plus home side Al Jazira will compete for the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy and for the right call themselves world champions.
When is the FIFA Club World Cup 2021 taking place?
The championship will be played out from Thursday 3 February 2022 to 12 February 2022.
Where is the FIFA Club World Cup 2021 being held?
The tournament is being played at Al Nayhan Stadium and the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium with the latter hosting the final on 12 February. Al Nayhan Stadium accommodates up to 15,000 fans and Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium can hold up to 37,500 football fans.
Who is playing at FIFA Club World Cup 2021?
The competition will see the six winners of the world’s football confederations converge on Abu Dhabi; Chelsea (Europe), Al Ahly of Egypt (Africa), Monterrey (North America), Al Hilal-Pohang (Asia), Palmeiras (South America) and AS Pirae (Oceania).
Auckland City of New Zealand were due to represent Oceania, however, they had to withdraw due to COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand.
Local interest will come in the form of Al Jazira who are involved courtesy of their Arabian Gulf League triumph in 2020. The side will be hoping to go one better than UAE counterparts Al Ain FC who shocked the world in 2018 as they reached the final before falling to the all-conquering Real Madrid.
What is the order of play at the FIFA Club World Cup 2021?
There are eight matches scheduled to take place. The opening round on 3 February at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium sees Al Jazira host AS Pirae from 8.30pm. Round two will see the winners of that tie take on Asian Champions Al Hilal SFC on 6 February with Al Ahly and Monterrey clashing the evening before at the Al Nayhan Stadium.
The semi-finals are pencilled in for the 8 and 9 February where Palmeiras and Chelsea await the winners of the round two ties.
There will also be matches to decide third and fifth places on 9 and 12 February at Al Nayhan Stadium before the decider on 12 February at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
Is this the first time the FIFA Club World Cup 2021 will be held in the city?
No. This will be the fifth time the FIFA Club World Cup will be played in Abu Dhabi. The capital has hosted the competition after previously being the scene for the 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2019 editions. On those occasions Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid (twice) got their hands on the silverware.
The tournament was due to be held in Japan last year, however the Japan Football Association withdrew in September due to concerns over raising COVID-19 cases.
How can we buy tickets for the FIFA Club World Cup 2021?
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster UAE, however due to the enormous interest there are is limited availability.
Do we need an Al Hosn green pass to attend?
At the time of writing, any football fan wishing to attend a FIFA Club World Cup 2021 match must present a green status on their Al Hosn app alongside a negative PCR test result not exceeding 48 hours.
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