Japan does not want to host a club world championship
2 min read
The last draw of the tournament in its current format is in jeopardy
The eighteenth-ever draw of the club World Cup, which was scheduled for December this year, may not take place.
The Japanese authorities have already notified FIFA that they do not want to hold the tournament on their territory, as previously agreed. The Land of the Rising Sun is fighting the fifth wave of COVID-19 infection and is also trying to solve the problem of low vaccination rates, so holding major sports competitions in the winter months is seen by the authorities as inappropriate and wrong.
There is also a political background. In particular, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has already announced his intention to leave office on September 30, just one year after taking office. It is expected that his successor will be categorically against holding the FIFA Club World Cup in the country because the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games had earlier hurt the image of the current prime minister of Japan.
It is likely that in case Japan refuses to host the tournament, FIFA will appeal for help to the authorities of Qatar, which hosted the last draws of the competition, including this year, when the triumphant was Bayern.
Recall that the 2021 Club World Cup should be the last in the history, held in the old format. In the future, the tournament will be expanded to 24 teams. It will be held every four years, as previously the Confederations Cup, replacing it completely.
Blog Author
