JEDDAH/ZURICH: The draw for the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™ has set up a second-round showdown between Mexican debutants Club León and Asian champions Urawa Reds.

Al Ahly were pitted against the winners of Al Ittihad v Auckland City. The reward for the winners of these ties will be glamour semi-finals against, respectively, Manchester City FC and the yet-to-be-determined Copa Libertadores champions.

That means that the big-spending Saudis of Al-Ittihad could find themselves facing UAE-owned City in the final.

The draw was conducted by Jaime Yarza, director of FIFA tournaments, with Samantha Johnson presenting and the roles of assistants performed by old City hero Yaya Toure and Al Ittihad icon Manaf Abushugair.

This is the 20th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, and the first time the tournament will be hosted by Saudi Arabia. It will take place between December 12 and 22 in Jeddah.

The fixtures

First round (Match 1)

Al Ittihad FC v Auckland City FC

12 December, 21:00

Second round (Matches 2 & 3)

Al Ahly FC v Winner of M1

15 December, 21:00 

Club León v Urawa Reds

15 December, 17:30 

Semi-finals (Matches 4 & 5)

CONMEBOL representative v Winner of M2

18 December, 21:00

Winner of M3 v Manchester City FC

19 December, 21:00

Play-off for third place & final (Matches 6 & 7)

Third place

22 December, 17:30

Final

22 December, 21:00

Participants:

• 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

#########################