LIVERPOOL WILL TRAVEL to Qatar in mid-season as Fifa have confirmed the country will host the Club World Cup in both 2019 and 2020 before the competition undergoes a substantial revamp.
The Champions League winners will be among the teams competing for this year’s title, which is expected to take place in December.
The two tournaments will act as warm-up events for the 2022 World Cup, which will also be held in Qatar.
Those finals are being played in November and December in order to avoid the extreme summer temperatures in the Gulf state.
Fifa’s next council meeting will include a discussion about potential hosts for the 2021 Club World Cup, when the tournament is to be expanded to 24 teams as part of a major remodelling.
It was initially thought that the competition would not take place in 2019 and 2020 as the changes were made, but that decision has been reversed.
Liverpool have earned the chance to participate in the tournament by beating Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League final in Madrid, courtesy of a Mohamed Salah penalty and a Divock Origi strike.
It will be Liverpool’s first appearance in the Club World Cup since 2005 – their debut in the competition - when they lost 1-0 to Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo in the final, qualifying after their historic comeback and penalty shoot-out victory over AC Milan in Istanbul.
The last English club to take part in the tournament – Chelsea – also lost by a 1-0 scoreline to Brazilian opposition in Corinthians, with Manchester United the only Premier League outfit to have claimed the title.
Real Madrid have won the past three Club World Cups and no team outside Spain has lifted the trophy since Bayern Munich in 2013.
This will be the latest addition to Liverpool’s fixture schedule in the first-half of next season. They will also face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the start of August, and then face Chelsea in the Uefa Super Cup final in Istanbul on 14 August.
More brown envelopes from Qatar, what a stupid place to host it
@Stephen O Toole:
So where do you want it to be played Europe? Qatar is not a stupid place to host it
I suppose Japan is a stupid place who are hosting the Rugby World Cup later this year.
@Just Some Guy: Qatar and Azerbaijan are getting the rights to host wayyy too many sporting events in the last few years. Stephen is correct.
@Just Some Guy: I’m open to correction here but I would imagine Japan to be a reasonably popular western tourist destination regardless of sporting events being held whereas I have never heard anyone say they are going to Qatar on their holidays. I’m also an armchair football fan so my next question might be stupid but I don’t recall Qatar playing in a world Cup before, am I incorrect? If so I guess holding the tournament there follows the same logic as holding the RWC in Japan which is to expand the game but I wouldn’t imagine football needs such exposure in any country.
@@aidoroch:
Qatar and Azerbaijan host way to many sporting events? Lol
Qatar has hosted the 2011 Asian Cup and also the hosts for the Confederations Cup and World Cup in 2021 and 2022
Azerbaijan has never hosted a major event until the Europa League final was played there last week.
@Just Some Guy: They hosted the 2015 European Games in Baku
@Jonny Martin:
Thanks for that. I’ve read that Baku have hosted 36 major sporting events since 2002. Well I’m an idiot Bye now
@Just Some Guy: depends on your definition of a major sporting event I guess
@Stephen O Toole: it is important for them to host smaller events (in scale not importance before someone bites my head off) in the run up to hosting the big one.
@Coco86: japan have qualified for every RWC (they got beaten 145-22 in 1995 by nz tho. Record today) and they have their own league which attracts some big players looking for a payday (like MLS, although most go to france) but I think they’re well capable of hosting it. Also, it isn’t because World Rugby are looking for a huge sum they genuinely want to grow it. Nothing sketchy in my mind with qatar getting it too.
@Eoin Murphy: I agree Japan is a good shout for the RWC, my question was have Qatar ever played in a football world Cup? I don’t know enough about football to question Qatar holding the event so why is there such drama about it? Obvious cultural reasoning aside, which is harsh to say the least, why such scepticism. Perhaps the carry on of Fifa the last few years is a huge factor.
@Just Some Guy: and how did that go?? Exactly!! Events should be in Europe and not in Asia
Great to be involved in games like this. They’ve come a long way in a space of 4 years after losing to Stoke 6-1 on the final day. Rodgers should have been sacked after that but he didn’t last long into the following season.
Thankfully Klopp was free at that time and the club has been on an upward curve ever since.
Hard to see them getting anywhere near 97 points again.
@Verandah: *screenshots message for future use*
@Verandah: I know, they’ll get 98 points again and again.
@Verandah: ….even 7 would be nice!
@Declan Tooher: 7 points? Are you mad
@Verandah: not a snowballs
@Conor Lynott: I assume you mean City. My money is on 99 and DEFINITELY NOT on United. Switch places with Arsenal. Anything higher BONUS. Might collect a cup though but City could collect another couple. Twomidables doesn’t quite have the same ring but could be the big 2!
Sextuplet on lads
@Ollie Watson: after the 2 won since August’06!
Now the real test begins for Liverpool. The quest to become world champions. X
@Daniel Goddard: TRY winning an actual Premier League title. Hahaha.
Mickey mouse competition
@Richard O’Brien: mic
@Richard O’Brien: it is for sure , but when you win you’re world chanpion!
@Richard O’Brien: Mickey Mouse isn’t real – Liverpool are very much
@Richard O’Brien: premier league too sure!
@David A Roberts: Disney matter
Easy win there I’d say
@Scott Mcsauce bby: how did it go last time and before???
@Bryn Capstan: 14 years ago isn’t a good reference
@Eoin Murphy: must be for you, kept going on about istanBULL for 14 years!Maybe this dubious dull final will fade a lot quicker!
@Bryn Capstan: you ok hun?
Bum record in that too like the premier league. NO TITLES!
@Bryn Capstan: what are you banging on about now? Please construct a legible comment, just the one time
@themansam: All his comments are like cryptic clues in the Indo crossword
@Stephen Lyons: at least those clues lead to answers
@themansam: FACTS!
@Bryn Capstan: but you have never stated FACTS. You just put words in a line ONE after THE OTHER with no care for sense AT ALL
@themansam: OBVIOUSLY you can’t associate the headline and my comment. Too confusing for ya? Or just don’t like facts.
@Bryn Capstan: you need European Cups to play in this competition the league has nothing to do with it. NOTHING to do with it AT ALL
@Stephen Lyons: maybe you do the simple crossword!
@Bryn Capstan: the very minute you make your first sensible contribution to the comments section. I’ll jump on to that cross word
It’s good to see them promote a big event in poor countries. Qatar wouldn’t be used to sporting events.
@James: Yeah, Qatar is an impoverished nation…
@Yurty Tim: that why they got the 2022 WC
All these games and maybe dropping points in the league before or/and afterwards! Tut Tut.
I’d completely forgotten about this aspect of winning the C.L. I remember Liverpool loosing to a Flamenco team incl Zico after beating Real Madrid in Paris. Anyone know if there is significant prize money?
@David A. Murray: Zico and Co. BRUSHED Jocks aside in ’82 too with Dalglish, Souness, Hansen !
No doubt the fa will change the premier league schedule to accommodate liverpool and make it so easy for them instead of forcing them to play so they cam win the bid for the next world cup that is free
Going away to Qatar to play this tournament, could seriously hamper Liverpool premiership challenge. Does Klopp send the reserves away for a bit of warm weather training, or take it seriously and possible forfeit a title run…
@Thefallguy: I wouldn’t worry, sure didn’t they BLOW a 10 point lead. And that’s A FACT. Might HAUNT them for years and….YEARS.