The FIFA Club World Cup 2023 began in Saudi Arabia on December 12 with seven teams bidding for a world title in the Middle East.
This edition will be the final version of a seven-team format with FIFA confirming their decision to increase the number of teams involved to 32 from 2025 onwards.
The new-look tournament will involve changes in terms of how teams qualify and how the path to a possible final will be plotted, but the 2023 competition will follow the pattern of previous Club World Cups.
The Sporting News has the full details on how this current tournament works, including rules, fixtures and qualified teams.
MORE: 2023 FIFA Club World Cup fixtures and results
Club World Cup 2023 format and rules
The FIFA Club World Cup 2023 is a straightforward tournament which includes a knockout format with no league table involved.
Each game involves 90 minutes of normal time with 30 minutes added as extra time — in the event of a draw — and a penalty shootout will be played if the score remains as a draw.
Defeat in each game will result in an immediate elimination from the competition for the losing side, with the exception of the semifinals — where the two losing teams will meet in a third place playoff match — as the winners progress to the final.
A First Round game pits the lowest ranked side/confederation against the host nation representative — in 2023, this was a clash between Auckland City (Australia) and Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), which the Saudi side won 3-0 thanks to goals from Romarinho, Karim Benzema and N'golo Kante.
Al Ittihad, as winners of that game, progress to the Second Round, which involves two games, before Champions League winners Manchester City and Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense start their campaigns in the semifinals.
N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema both scored as Al-Ittihad lead Auckland City 3-0 at half-time in the Club World Cup opener. Romarinho also on the scoresheet with the opener. Saudi champions comfortably on course for a second-round match with Al-Ahly.🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/Ai4AmMPWSF
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 12, 2023
FIFA Club World Cup 2023 qualified teams
Six of the seven qualifiers secured their place at the FIFA Club World Cup 2023 as champions of their primary continental club tournament.
Manchester City's 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final win against Inter Milan sealed their spot with Fluminense's 2023 Copa Libertadores victory over Boca Juniors confirming them as the CONMEBOL team.
Al Ittihad qualified as a club representative of host nation Saudi Arabia with Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds the AFC Champions League holders.
FIFA Club World Cup 2023 fixtures
First Round: Al Ittihad 3-0. Auckland City
Second Round: Leon vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
- Date: December 15
- Kickoff time: 5.30 pm local / 9.30 am ET / 2.30pm GMT
Second Round: Al Ahly vs. Al Ittihad
- Date: December 15
- Kickoff time: 9pm local / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT
Semifinal: Fluminense vs. TBC
- Date: December 18
- Kickoff time: 9pm local / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT
Semifinal: Leon/Urawa Red Diamonds vs Manchester City
- Date: December 19
- Kickoff time: 9pm local / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT
Third-place playoff
- Date: December 22
- Kickoff time: 5.30 pm local / 9.30 am ET / 2.30pm GMT
Final
- Date: December 22
- Kickoff time: 9pm local / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT
FIFA Club World Cup 2023 live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2023 across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| Canada | — | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| UK | TNT Sports | discovery+ |
| Australia | SBS | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
| India | Eurosport | FIFA+, FIFA YouTube |
USA/Canada/Australia: FIFA+ will provide live streaming of every game at the 2023 Club World Cup with access also available on FIFA's YouTube channel.
UK: TNT Sports will provide coverage of selected games with streaming options available via discovery+.
India: Eurosport will show the games on TV.
