By Mauricio Alencar
TNT Sports has agreed a deal to broadcast the Fifa Club World Cup this year, with English and European champions Manchester City set to take part.
Other teams due to play include Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad, who have big name players such as Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante.
The broadcaster, which replaced BT Sport after Warner Bros Discovery’s buyout, will show every game from the annual competition, which is being held in Saudi Arabia.
It will be the first time that the knockout tournament is held in the gulf state, which was recently confirmed as hosts for the men’s 2034 World Cup.
Previous hosts include Morocco, Qatar, the UAE and Japan.
Manchester City are set to play in the competition for the first time ever, having beaten Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier this year.
The only other English sides to have won the competition in its current form are Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. Real Madrid beat Saudi side Al Hilal 5-3 in last year’s final.
Who is playing in the Club World Cup?
The winners of every continental competition will play at the Club World Cup. This includes European champions Manchester City and Libertadores winners Fluminense of Brazil.
The host nation will be represented by Al Ittihad, who won the 2022-23 Saudi Pro League.
Other clubs taking part are Asian Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan, Concacaf Champions League winners Club Leon from Mexico and Oceania Football Confederation champions Auckland City.
When is the Club World Cup?
The Club World Cup is due to start on Tuesday 12 December at 6pm UK time when Al Ittihad face Auckland City, who are Oceania’s regional competition.
The winner of that game will face Egyptian side Al Ahly FC on Friday in a second qualifying round.
When do Manchester City play in the Club World Cup?
Manchester City will play their first game at the Club World Cup next Tuesday evening.
They will face either Urawa Red Diamonds, who won the Asian Champions League, or Club Leon, who won the Concacaf Champions League, in the semi-final.
South American champions Fluminense will play their semi-final the night before against the winner of the second qualifying round, which will be one of Al Ahly, Auckland City or Al Ittihad
The final will be played on Friday 22 December at 6pm UK time.
Where can I watch the Club World Cup?
All games will be shown live on TNT Sports in UK.
TNT Sports 2 will show all Manchester City games.
Streaming will be available via Discovery+.
Is the Club World Cup expanding?
The Club World Cup will expand to a 32-team competition in 2025. As a result of the new format, the Club World Cup will take place every four years.
The first edition of the new format will be held in the United States, which is also jointly hosting the World Cup in 2026 with Mexico and Canada. The US is also set to stage next year’s Copa America.
Twelve European clubs will be invited to take part, including the Champions League winners from 2021-24, meaning that Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City will take part.
The other slots allocated to European clubs will be determined according to club rankings in the four-year period.
Fifa has said that there will continue to be an annual competition where winners of different continental competitions face each other, but are yet to release full details.
