Liverpool surprised at Club World Cup announcement as Champions League winners reveal they have yet to receive official invitation after assuming tournament would not take place
- Liverpool are yet to receive confirmation from FIFA about the Club World Cup
- It had been widely assumed that the tournament would not be held this year
- But FIFA announced they will use it as a dry run in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup
- It will come as burden to Liverpool, who will already have a congested schedule
Liverpool have unexpectedly been given the opportunity to become Club World Champions for the first time – but are yet to receive official confirmation from FIFA.
It had been widely assumed the Club World Cup would not take place in 2019 and 2020, with FIFA having made controversial plans to expand the tournament from eight teams to 24 in 2021; it is a decision that has been heavily criticised by many clubs across Europe.
But Liverpool, who beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday, now find themselves in line to go to Qatar in December as Europe’s representatives; after FIFA announced they will use the tournament as a dry run for the 2022 World Cup.
Liverpool are yet to receive official confirmation from FIFA about this year’s Club World Cup
The news – which was decided at a meeting in Paris and circulated in a media release on Monday – came as so much of a surprise that Liverpool officials had not received any kind of information from FIFA as to when they will be expected to travel to Qatar or what dates the games will be staged.
The final of last season’s edition, which was won by Real Madrid, was played on December 22.
As was the case with the Spanish giants, Liverpool will enter the tournament at the semi-final stage. They will then have to contest the final or a third and fourth place play-off.
Liverpool have been beaten finalists three times in various guises of the Club World Cup – in 1981, 1984 and 2005 – so the opportunity to win it, is something that will appeal to manager Jurgen Klopp and his players.
FIFA announced on Monday they will use the tournament as a dry run for the 2022 World Cup
They will be aware, though, that a heavy fixture schedule beckons and the likelihood is there will be significant rescheduling.
They played eight times in December last season, a month that traditionally features a round of midweek Premier League games.
The last Champions League group stage fixture is also held before Christmas, as are the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
The other sides to have qualified so far are Al Sadd, who will represent the host nation. Mexican side Monterrey, African champions Esperance de Tunis and Hienghene Sport, who play in the remote New Caledonia League. The South American representatives will not be known until November.