The slightly odd contest that is the FIFA Club World Cup will carry itself through the first half of December. The action starts on December 6th and runs through to the 16th. This is an annual tournament which brings together the club champions from each of the six continental confederations. The final place in the tournament, to make up an odd number of seven teams, is the national champions of the host country. The host country for the 2017 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup is the United Arab Emirates and they will be represented by Al-Jazira who won the 2016-17 UAE Pro-League. European Champions Real Madrid will be the front-runners at William Hill to win the thing outright and they are the reigning champions after beating the Kashima Antlers 4-2 in last year’s Final.
FIFA Club World Cup Participants
Gremio – 2017 Copa Libertadores Winners (CONMEBOL)
Real Madrid – 2016-17 UEFA Champions League winners (UEFA)
Urawa Red Diamonds – 2017 AFC Champions League Winners (AFC)
Wydad Casablanca – 2107 CAF Champions League Winners (CAF)
Pachuca -2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League Winners (CONCACAF)
Auckland City – 2017 OFC Champions League Winners (OFC)
Al-Jazeera – 2016-17 UAE Pro League WInners (AFC)
FIFA Club World Cup Format
Naturally, because the champions from UEFA and CONMEBOL are likely going to be at a much different level to anyone else who joins them at the event, then the format of the tournament is a little unusual. It all starts with a play off round which features hosts Al-Jazira taking on Auckland City. The winners of the tie will then move through to the quarter finals.
The Urawa Red Diamonds from the AFC will play the winner of that play off match in the quarter finals, while the other quarter final match (there are only two quarter final games) features Pachuca v Wydad Casablanca. The winners of those quarter finals then go through to the semi finals which is the stage at which the big guns of Real Madrid and Gremio enter.
The winner of the Al-Jazeera/Auckland City v Urawa Red Diamonds match will face Real Madrid in the semi finals, while the winner of Pachuca v Wydad Casablanca gets a shot against Gremio in the other semi. The winners will face off in the final, while the two losing semi finalists face off in a third place match. There is also a fifth place match as well, which will be contested between the two quarter final losers.
UEFA v CONMEBOL
Given the powerhouses only have to play one game to get to through to the final, it is set up to favour the UEFA and CONMEBOL representatives. Throughout the history of the FIFA Club World Cup which was contested for the first time in 2000, it has predominantly produced a final featuring the UEFA v CONMEBOL representatives. That has happened in nine of the previous thirteen editions of the tournament. Last year it was UEFA v AFC though as the Kashima Antlers fought their way past CONMEBOL representatives Atletico Nacional to face Real Madrid in the Final.
That was the first time that an AFC representative had made it to the final while there have been two CAF representatives who have made it through to the Final in the history of the tournament, those being Raja Casablanca in 2013 and TP Mazembe in 2010. Overall, a UEFA team has won nine of the previous thirteen editions, which throws more favouritism towards Real Madrid and the other four have all gone to a CONMEBOL team (all Brazilian at that). Barcelona are actually the most successful club at the tournament having won it three times before as well as having lost the 2006 final. Real Madrid would pull level with them if they win this edition, while Brazil’s Corinthians have also won it twice.
Predictions
Germio became just the third Brazilian side to win the Libertadores three times with their victory over Lanus in this year’s Final. Interestingly three of their four results in the knockout stages were by a 3-1 scoreline in that tournament and the Final was only just played back on November 22nd. They finished fourth in the Brazilian Campeonato a long way back of winners Corinthians. Real Madrid, well, we know all about them and while they haven’t been particularly on top of their game this season neither on the European or the domestic front, they are favourites here and worth backing to take the title. Watch out for Gremio star striker Luan who was fantastic at the Copa Libertadores 2017 finishing as top scorer and is regarded as being the best domestic player in Brazil. He may a decent flutter at William Hill to top score in this event.
