UK broadcaster Channel Five have reportedly gained the rights to show some of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer in the United States as Chelsea and Manchester City represent the Premier League.
FIFA have confirmed that the Club World Cup will be expanded to 32 teams this summer in a controversial move that has been met with criticism from UEFA and other footballing bodies. The tournament, which starts in June and ends a month before the Premier League returns, had struggled to find a broadcaster until DAZN launched a whopping $1bn (£787m) bid for the global TV rights.
A total of 63 matches will be played in the United States, 23 of which will be shown live on Channel Five in the UK. This will be made up of 15 group games, four last-16 ties, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final.
The remaining fixtures will be shown exclusively on DAZN and the broadcaster has already pledged to make these matches free-to-air via their app. It is currently unclear which exact group stage matches will be shown on Channel Five, but the UK broadcaster will likely push for both Chelsea and City games during the tournament.
The 32 teams in the Club World Cup will be made up of all the different federations. UEFA has the most representatives, with 12 clubs competing in the tournament alongside Chelsea and City.
Six will come from South America, four from North and Central America, four from Asia, four from Africa, one from Oceania and one from the United States as the host nation. This team will be Inter Miami after they won the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield.
The draw for the group stage of the competition was made last month, with the Blues drawn against Brazilian side Flamengo, Club Leon from Mexico and Tunisian representatives ES Tunis. The top two in each group will advance to the knockout stages following the traditional World Cup format.
Despite requests from Chelsea and City, the Premier League will not allow their seasons to begin later than their opponents to allow for an extended break. This led to calls that both teams may feel weak sides in America, but FIFA have insisted that clubs must field their strongest squads for the tournament; how that will be policed is, as of yet, unclear.
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