Manchester United and Liverpool among ten ‘confirmed participants’ for first Fifa Super Club World Cup in 2021
A look at how proposed tournament will work, with China keen to host maiden edition — and dates already established
MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool are among the "ten confirmed participants" in the 24-team Fifa Super Club World Cup in 2021 which could take place in China.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has pushed the idea since his election and it looks like it will now be going ahead in three years' time.
Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno revealed Los Blancos were in favour of the proposal, becoming the first major to club to openly back the idea.
And report they, along with United and Liverpool, will be among the sides guaranteed a place in 2021.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Ajax and Paris Saint-Germain are the other teams who will definitely be present.
Europe will have 12 places in total and the other two will be selected from a group which includes Manchester City, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Porto and Benfica.
The other 12 sides will be made up of teams from around the globe.
Legendary South American giants Boca Juniors, River Plate, Santos, Flamengo and either Penarol or Nacional will also be included.
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Dates for the event have been established. It will run from June 10 to 28, containing eight groups of three teams, followed by a quarter-final, semi-final and final.
It means there will be minimum of two matches and a maximum of five. No location has been decided, but China are keen to become the first hosts.
Multiple European Cup/Champions League-winners
Real Madrid: 12 — (1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1965-66, 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17)
AC Milan: 7 — (1962-63, 1968-69, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1993-94, 2002-03, 2006-07)
Bayern Munich: 5 — (1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 2000-01, 2012-13)
Liverpool: 5 — (1976-77, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1983-84, 2004-05)
Barcelona: 5 — (1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15)
Ajax: 4 — (1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1994-95)
Manchester United: 3 — (1967-68, 1998-99, 2007-08)
Inter: 3 — (1963-64, 1964-65, 2009-10)
Benfica: 2 — (1960-61, 1961-62)
Nottingham Forest: 2 — (1978-79, 1979-80)
Juventus: 2 — (1984-85, 1995-96)
Porto: 2 — (1986-87, 2003-04)
For the first edition, there will be special invitations for the most prestigious and successful clubs on the planet — but after that, it will be a qualification process.
For the following tournament, the 12 European participants will be made up from the past four Champions winners, the four finalists and the next four sides with the best coefficients.
There will be four guaranteed South American entrants, with a fifth team facing a play-off against the leading Oceania side.
Africa, Asia and North America will have two clubs each, with the host nation's title winner making up the final side.