The FIFA Club World Cup 2023 is set to take place in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, FIFA officials said on Monday.
The declaration came on the heels of an official visit carried out last week by FIFA representatives to Jeddah to inspect the preparations underway for hosting the tournament, which is set to take place from December 12 to 22 of this year.
Yasser bin Hassan al-Misehal, the head of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, confirmed Jeddah’s readiness to hold this year’s iteration of the FIFA Club World Cup, promising an unparalleled experience for both athletes and fans.
He highlighted Jeddah’s rich legacy of managing large-scale sports events and its extensive array of advanced infrastructure and facilities. This development showcases the prominence Saudi Arabia has reached in the sphere of hosting global sports events.
“Sports are a fundamental component of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation under the auspices of Saudi Vision 2030. With unwavering support from the leadership of our great nation, the sports sector has succeeded in solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the leading and fastest-growing sports destinations globally,” stated Al-Mashal.
The tournament, which will be played from Dec. 12-22, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, as previously announced in February.
The 2023 edition of the Club World Cup will be the last of the current format — an annual competition with seven teams — which will be discontinued before its expansion to a 32-team event to first be held in 2025 in the United States.
