Japan pull out of hosting 2021 FIFA Club World Cup due to COVID-19 | OneFootball

In an official statement released on Thursday, the Japan Football Association (JFA) announced they will no longer host the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

The tournament is set to be held in December with Chelsea (England), Al Ahly (Egypt) and Auckland City (New Zealand) taking up three of the seven potential spots.

“The FIFA Club World Cup will not be held in Japan in December 2021 as a result of discussions between the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Japan Football Association (JFA) regarding the status of infection with the new coronavirus and the current conditions for holding it,” read the statement.

“The FIFA Club World Cup was also positioned as part of the JFA 100th Anniversary Commemorative Project, but at this point it is difficult to predict the status of the new coronavirus infection at the end of the year, and there are various restrictions such as restrictions on the number of spectators.”

“We have come to the conclusion that it is very difficult to hold the event in the midst of it.”

An alternative venue has yet to be selected however an announcement will be made “in due course” according to FIFA.