December 06, (THEWILL) – FIFA has revealed that Chelsea will face their Club World Cup semi-final opponents on February 9 at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Chelsea will face Al Jazira, Al Hilal, or Auckland City, the reigning European champions. Palmeiras will face either Ah Ahly or Monterrey in their semi-final on February 8.
On February 12, the final will take place with the Blues almost guaranteed a slot on the basis of form and level.
Chelsea will play two games in the UAE, yet, as implausible as it is, they will play in a third-place play-off at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi if they lose their February 9 semi-final.
As THEWILL reported, the tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Japan, but they backed out due to COVID-19 fears in September.
THEWILL recalls that Chelsea earned a berth in the competition by winning the Champions League last season, defeating English Premier League champions Manchester City in the European final.
The UAE has hosted the Club World Cup four times, with Abu Dhabi, the capital, serving as host in 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2018.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
