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Rabat, Morocco (AP) — European champions Real Madrid will face the Seattle Sounders, the first US team to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup, in their next tournament in Morocco in February. .
FIFA held its draw on Friday for the 2022 Club World Cup, pushed out of the traditional December slot into this year by the World Cup that ended in Qatar last month.
Madrid are waiting in the semi-finals for CONCACAF Champions League winners Seattle’s second-round winner and either Egypt’s Al Ahli or New Zealand’s Auckland City.
Libertadores winners Flamengo will face African champions Widad Casablanca or Al Hilal in the semi-finals.
The Club World Cup typically brings together six continental champions and the winner of the host country’s national title.
However, Moroccan League winners Widad also won the 2022 African Champions League title. His second entry from Africa was not the runner-up in the Moroccan league, but the defeated finalist he went to Al Ahly.
Al Hilal won the 2021 Asian Champions League and played in the previous Club World Cup last February, losing to eventual winners Chelsea in the semi-finals, but the 2022 Asian champions will not be decided until May. was therefore proposed again.
Morocco will host the Club World Cup in Tangier and Rabat, with the final on 11 February.
FIFA gave Morocco a host of tournaments last month after becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Morocco has lost a bid for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. His bid for the 2030 World Cup could go on his own or with neighbors Spain and Portugal, who lost to Morocco in his round of knockouts in Qatar.
Speaking about the Club World Cup, Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaer said on Friday: “This is also an opportunity to express the desire of the people and the Kingdom to be happy to host football’s greatest event.”
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