The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup may or may not take place, but if it does, we might see a new nation hosting the competition.
The United States is among the top contenders to be considered to host the annual soccer competition, according to Diario AS, rather than China and Abu Dhabi, which are also frontrunners.
Since its start in 2000, the competition has previously been hosted by Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Qatar.
Let’s check out why the United States might be added to that list:
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Why is the U.S. a contender for the competition?
China and Abu Dhabi were originally the top two contenders to host the competition, however, no agreement could be reached with either nation’s venues.
The United States therefore slid into a frontrunner position, despite Abu Dhabi being a previous host of the event.
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Why might the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup not happen?
The reason the competition might not be held in February as originally planned is due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup’s schedule. The quadrennial tournament is being held in Qatar in November, and this scheduling decision caused a strain for other tournaments’ timing.
If the Club World Cup does happen, when will it take place?
If the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup does take place, it will most likely be slated for the week of Feb. 6-12 for the semifinals and the finals.
These dates most likely make sense because they fall right before the first round of the UEFA Champions League last-16 first legs. These games are scheduled for the second week of February.
What else is the U.S. involved in for upcoming FIFA World Cups?
The USMNT, which is a contender in Group B, will be competing in its first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. ET against Wales.
After the 2022 World Cup appearance, the nation is set to co-host the next World Cup in 2026 alongside Mexico and Canada.
