Jeddah to Host 2023 FIFA Club World Cup

The Saudi and International Football Associations (FIFA) officially announced yesterday that the city of Jeddah will host the next 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. This comes after an official visit by a delegation of FIFA officials to Jeddah last week.

Decision to Postpone the Tournament

This decision was made after the Al-Ittihad team became the Kingdom’s representative in the tournament as the host country, and in the interests of the organizing committee and officials to ensure all the factors for the success of the tournament, the decision was made to postpone it from Riyadh to Jeddah.

Jeddah’s Willingness to Host the Tournament

For his part, Saudi Arabian Football Association President Yasser Al-Mishal reaffirmed the city of Jeddah’s willingness to host this year’s FIFA Club World Cup TM and provide an unparalleled experience for players and fans in light of the city’s history, complete hosting of major sporting events, and possession of a wide range of cutting-edge facilities and infrastructure, reflecting the position that the Kingdom has achieved in hosting major international sporting events.

Importance of Hosting the Tournament

Al-Mishal emphasized that hosting a Club World Cup-sized tournament represents an ideal opportunity to develop the game locally, take it to new heights, show the true face of the Kingdom and highlight the hospitality of its people and their great passion for football, emphasizing the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination with the FIFA team. Organize an exceptional edition of the tournament.

Inspection of Infrastructure and Stadiums

It is noteworthy that during the visit of FIFA experts to Jeddah, the main infrastructure and stadiums announced for the tournament, including the King Abdullah Sports City and the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, as well as a number of training facilities and living quarters for the team, were inspected.

Jeddah’s Experience in Hosting International Sporting Events

In recent years, the city of Jeddah has hosted some of the most notable international sporting events, including: Spanish Super Cup, Italian Super Cup, Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, Asian Handball Championship among Club Champions and Club the Super Globe World Handball Championship, as well as the Youth Weightlifting World Championship and the finals of the 3×3 Basketball World Tour of Champions.

Al-Ittihad Camp in Taif

On the other hand, it was decided that the Al-Ittihad camp will start in Taif on July 10 in preparation for the new season. It is planned that the technical staff will determine the list of foreign professionals who will continue to work and leave the team during the training camp in Taif.

King Salman Club Cup

The camp will last until the start of the King Salman Club Cup, which will open on July 27 with the Al-Ittihad match against the Tunisian Esperance in the first group. Taif will host the matches of the first and third groups, while the matches of the second and fourth groups will be held in Abha.

Ahmed Hegazy’s Therapeutic Training

On the other hand, Ahmed Hegazy, the captain of the Al-Ittihad team, began his therapeutic training after recently undergoing surgery to treat a complete cruciate ligament tear.