The draw for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this afternoon, with Percy Tau’s Al Ahly finding out their path to a potential final.
Al Ahly qualified as CAF Champions League winners, and there are some heavy hitters in the tournament this year.
Manchester City represent Europa after winning their first ever UEFA Champions League title, while Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad represent the hosts country.
Below are all participating teams:
- AFC Champions League 2022 winners: Urawa Reds, Japan
- CAF Champions League 2022/2023 winners: Al Ahly FC, Egypt
- Concacaf Champions League 2023 winners: Club León, Mexico
- CONMEBOL Libertadores 2023 winners: TBD
- OFC Champions League 2023 winners: Auckland City FC, New Zealand
- UEFA Champions League 2022/2023 winners: Manchester City FC, England
- Host (latest winner of organising association’s league): Al Ittihad FC, Saudi Arabia
Al Ahly will enter the tournament in the second round and will face the winner of the first-round clash between Al Ittihad and Auckland City — the club of South Africa-born Ryan De Vries.
If the CAF representatives would progress they would then face the CONMEBOL representative in a potential semi-final.
FIXTURES
First round:
M1: Al Ittihad vs Auckland City (12 December)
Second round:
M2: Al Ahly vs Winner of first round
M3: Club Leon vs Urawa Red (15 December)
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Semi-finals:
SF 1: CONMEBOL representative vs Winner M2 (18 December)
SF 2: Winner M3 vs Manchester City (19 December)
3rd place play-off & final (22 December)
It will be Tau’s third participation in the Club World Cup after 2016/17 with Mamelodi Sundowns (sixth) and 2022/23 with Al Ahly (fourth), while Al Ahly will appear for a record ninth time – more than any other African club.
