Zurich – The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the match officials who will be in charge at the forthcoming FIFA (www.FIFA.com) Club World Cup Morocco 2022.
As many as 26 match officials, including six referees, 12 assistant referees, and eight video match officials, have been chosen in close cooperation with the confederations.
All selected match officials will attend the preparatory seminar starting in Rabat on 27 January.
The FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022 will be played from 1 to 11 February 2023.
The seven-team Club World Cup Morocco 2022 will kick off in Tangier at the multi-use 65 000 capacity Tangier Stadium next month, on 1 February 2023.
insideworldfootball.com reports that the opening game will be between CAF Champions League runners-up Al Ahly and Auckland City, holders of the OFC Champions League who will be competing at their 12th Club World Cup.
The winners will progress to round 2 and take on Seattle Sounders from the MLS, the Concacaf Champions League winners, on 4 February, also in Tangier.
The winners of that match stay in Tangier to face Conmebol’s Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo, who enter the competition at the semi-final stage.
insideworldfootball.com reports that FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was present for the draw in Rabat last Friday said: “Thank you to Morocco for hosting the champions of all the continents for what will be a very important edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in February.
“When the champions of all the continents meet to crown the champion of the planet, the champion of the world, this is a special occasion, and this will take place in a very special country, in a great football environment. We’re looking very much forward to [coming] to Rabat and to Tangier, to visit an entire country.”
On the other side of the draw CAF Champions League winners Wydad from Morocco, will meet Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the second round at the 52 000 capacity Prince Moulay Abdella Stadium in Rabat, reports insideworldfootball.com.
The winner of that match will then face UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid in the semi-final in Rabat.
The final will also be played in Rabat on 11 February.
Fouzi Lekjaa, the Moroccan Football Association President, said: “This is also an opportunity to express the desire of our people and of our Kingdom to be among those willing to host football’s greatest events.
“We’ve always had this desire, and we will continue to express it with even more determination, enthusiasm, work and development. Long live football, long live FIFA, long live the Kingdom of Morocco.”
