Manchester City’s FIFA Club World Cup opponents confirmed following South American entrant | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City players have now found out who their challengers for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Last season’s UEFA Champions League winners will embark on their first ever appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup in December, with this season’s tournament hosted in Saudi Arabia prior to Christmas.

Manchester City enter the competition at the semi-final stage as a result of their success in Europe’s premier club competition, where they will take on either Urawa Red Diamonds or Club Leon.

Pep Guardiola and his players will then be guaranteed one more fixture in the middle-east regardless of the outcome of that match, as they will then progress into a third-place play-off, or the final of the tournament itself.

Now, following a recent match outcome in South America, the complete list of competitors for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup have now been confirmed, and Manchester City’s potential opponents in a final have been somewhat revealed.

Fluminense of Brazil will be making their first-ever participation at the FIFA Club World Cup, having emerged as victors of the 2023 Copa Libertadores on November 4 and similarly to Manchester City, will be entering the tournament at the semi-final stage.

Entering at the second round of the competition, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan will be participating for the third time in their history, alongside Al Ahly of Egypt in their ninth appearance, as well as tournament debutants Club Leon of Mexico.

Kicking off the competition in the first round, Auckland City of New Zealand (11th appearance) will take on Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad (2nd appearance) – who boast a star-studded squad following a summer of high-level recruitment from across the European game.

Fixtures

First Round, Match 1: Al-Ittihad vs Auckland City, 12 December 2023

Second Round, Match 3: Club Leon vs Urawa Red Diamonds, 15 December 2023Second Round, Match 2: Al Ahly vs Winner of Match 1, 15 December, 2023

Semi-Finals, Match 4: Fluminense vs Winner of Match 2, 18 December 2023Semi-Finals, Match 5: Winner of Match 3 vs Manchester City, 18 December 2023

Match for Third Place, Match 6: Loser of Match 4 vs Loser of Match 5, 22 December 2023

Final, Match 7: Winner of Match 4 vs Winner of Match 5, 22 December 2023