FIFA announces new format for Intercontinental Cup 2024-Telangana today

The revamped tournament will bring together the champions of the six confederations for five thrilling matches between September and December 2024, with the final scheduled to take place in Qatar.

Zurich: The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has announced the 2024 Intercontinental Cup, an exciting new format that will feature standalone intercontinental competitions and give more fans the chance to see their favourite clubs in action on home soil.

The revamped tournament will bring together the champions of the six confederations for five thrilling matches between September and December 2024, with the final scheduled to take place in Qatar.

The tournament, announced for December 2023, replaces the annual Club World Cup which will now be played every four years with 32 teams starting in 2025.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, clubs from Africa, Asia and Oceania will have the chance to host FIFA matches, with the higher-ranked of the two competing teams hosting the first two matches in their home country.

The action kicks off on Sunday with the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup play-off, where 2023-24 AFC Champions League winners Al Ain will take on 2024 OFC Champions League winners Auckland City.

This match will take place in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The winner of this play-off will then travel to Cairo, Egypt, to face CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly on 29 October 2024 in the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup final.

The FIFA Americas Derby, a highly anticipated clash between CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024 champions and 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup winners Pachuca, will take place in Doha, Qatar on December 11, 2024.

The winners of the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup and the FIFA Americas Derby will meet in the FIFA Challenger Cup on December 14, 2024, in Doha.

The winner of this match will earn a place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, which will also be held in Doha on 18 December. The Challenger Cup champions will face UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid.

The decisive match will coincide with Qatar National Day and mark the second anniversary of the unforgettable FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final.