FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: All You Need To Know

Football fans worldwide are set to converge in Qatar this December as the country will play host to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup finals. Champions from four confederations will compete for the grand title.

The tournament name is derived from the former Intercontinental Cup, which was last played in 2004 between teams from UEFA and CONMEBOL.

The FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024 marks the debut of an annual club football tournament organized by FIFA. The tournament comprises the six teams that won the previous edition of the continental championships in each FIFA confederation, playing each other in a single-elimination bracket. 

FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: Format

• First round: The winners of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League will host the winners of the 2024 OFC Champions League in the “FIFA African–Asian–Pacific Cup play-off”.
• Second round: The winners of the 2023–24 CAF Champions League will host the winners of the first round for the title of the “FIFA African–Asian–Pacific Cup”. In parallel, the winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores and the winners of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup will play each other in Doha, Qatar, in a match that will be denominated the “FIFA Derby of the Americas”.
• Play-off: The winners of the second round matches will play each other in Doha, Qatar in the “FIFA Challenger Cup”.
• Final: The winners of the play-off (FIFA Challenger Cup) will play the winners of the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League in Lusail, Qatar.

FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: Participating teams 

• Real Madrid CF, reigning UEFA Champions League champion from Spain
• Al Ahly SC, the Egyptian team and 2024 CAF Champions League champions; C.F. Pachuca, the Mexican team that won the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024 
• The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores 2024 champion (yet to be crowned)

FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: Key Dates

The final stages of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024 will be held  from December 11. The first two games will be staged in the stadium of a team involved in each match, and the final three will be played in Qatar as a neutral venue.

First Round

Date: December 11, 2024
Teams: Pachuca (CONCACAF) vs. Copa Libertadores Winner (CONMEBOL)
Venue: Stadium 974

Play-Off (Challenger Cup)

Date: December 14, 2024
Teams: Al Ahly vs. Winner of First Round
Venue: Stadium 974

Final

Date: December 18, 2024
Teams: UEFA Champions League Winner Real Madrid vs. Play-Off Winner
Venue: Lusail Stadium

Also Read: FIFA World Cup: Top Scorers In The History