Al Duhail's players and officials celebrate with the Falcon Shield in this file photo.
Doha: Qatar champions Al Duhail face a potential semi-final clash against UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich as the draw for the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 was held yesterday in Zurich.
QNB Stars League (QSL) champions Al Duhail, who will represent the host nation in the six-team event, will face Egypt’s Ahly – CAF Champions League winners in their second round match on the inaugural day of the event on February 4. The match will be played at the Education City Stadium – a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venue.
The winner of the match will clash with pre-event favourites Bayern Munich on February 8.
The Germans are enjoying a phenomenal season in which they won five titles in six months.
The Bavarians set benchmark after benchmark during the 56th Bundesliga campaign and crowned the season with a historic achievement by winning a treble comprised of Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League trophies for the second time after first doing so 2013.
Not only that, they went on to add two more pieces of silverware to their collection with domestic and European Super Cups. In Qatar, Bayern will be chasing their second FIFA World Club World Cup title and sixth crown of the season.
Meanwhile, Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai FC and CONCACAF Champions League winners Tigres UANL will kick start the tournament with the opening match on February 4 at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, another Qatar 2022 venue.
The winning side of the inaugural match will face CONMEBOL Libertadores in the first semi-final on February 7.
However, the South America’s entry into the event will not be known until the January 30 final of the Copa Libertadores.
Palmeiras faces Santos in an all-Brazilian final at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2020 champions will be crowned following the final at Education City Stadium on 11 February, with kick-off at 21:00 (19:00 CET).
The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020, earlier scheduled in December last year was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, Auckland City FC who were to meet Al Duhail in the first match, withdrew from the event in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures required by the New Zealand authorities. FIFA together with the Qatari authorities, will implement a comprehensive medical and security protocol providing the safeguards required to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the competition.
Qatar has been hosting major sports event safely amid the pandemic, and successfully staged the AFC Champions League matches.
