Real Madrid to play in the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar | Football news

Real Madrid automatically qualifies for the final of the first FIFA Intercontinental Cup, which will be held in Doha (Qatar) in December.

European Champions League winners Real Madrid will play the final of the first edition of the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup in Qatar, world football's governing body announced.

The competition for club teams from around the world consists of five matches and culminates in the final on December 18, for which the Spanish giants qualify automatically.

The day of the final will also be celebrated as Qatar's national day and marks the second anniversary of the 2022 World Cup final, in which Argentina defeated France.

The tournament, announced in December last year, replaces the annual Club World Cup, which will now be held every four years with 32 teams from 2025.

“The opportunity to host another prestigious football tournament is a testament to Qatar’s ability to host world-class sporting events,” Minister of Youth and Sports Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani said in a statement.

“Two years after the biggest FIFA World Cup ever, we are proud to host the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024. We look forward to welcoming some of the best players in the world for another great event where we will showcase the legacy of 2022.”

Real Madrid is the global Champions League winner

The winner of the Asian Champions League, Al Ain, will first host the winner of the Oceania Champions League, Auckland City, in the Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup playoff on 22 September. The winner will then face the winner of the African Champions League, Al Ahly, in Cairo on 29 October.

The first two games will be played on the home turf of the higher-ranked team, allowing locals to watch their team play.

The next stop is Doha, Qatar, where the winner of the 2024 South American Libertadores will play Mexican club Pachuca, winner of the CONCACAF (North, Central America and the Caribbean) Champions Cup, on December 11 – a match FIFA calls the “Derby of the Americas”.

The winners of these two matches will play against each other in the Challenger Cup three days later and secure a place in the final of the Intercontinental Cup against Real Madrid on December 18th.