Auckland City FC from New Zealand informed FIFA today, Friday, that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine measures required by New Zealand authorities, the club will not be able to participate in the Club World Cup, which will take place in Doha, Qatar, from February 1 to 11.
Following Auckland City's withdrawal, there will be no first round in the tournament, meaning the Qatari team Al-Duhail will advance directly to the second round. The 2020 Club World Cup will be held from February 1 to 11 in Doha, featuring several clubs, including African champion Al Ahly and European champion Bayern Munich, as well as Al-Duhail, Al Ahly, Ulsan Hyundai, and Tigres UANL from Japan. The representative of South America will be determined by the winner of the Copa Libertadores final, scheduled for January 30. There will be no first-round match, and Al-Duhail will start competing from the second round; otherwise, the competition format remains unchanged.
FIFA stated in a formal announcement, "Despite regular exchanges between FIFA, the club, the New Zealand Football Association, and the Oceania Football Federation in recent days, the requirements of New Zealand authorities concerning isolation and quarantine exceed FIFA's jurisdiction, and thus a solution could not be reached."
It is worth noting that FIFA, in cooperation with Qatari authorities, is implementing a comprehensive medical and security protocol that provides the necessary guarantees to protect the health and safety of all participants in the competition. Additionally, the draw to determine the direct matchups will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 19.
