FIFA confirm Saudi Arabia's Jeddah as host for Club World Cup 2023

Club World Cup 2023 FIFA

fbrena.com

FIFA has announced that the Saudi city of Jeddah will host the FIFA Club World Cup 2023, set to take place from 12 to 22 December.

The decision was made after a FIFA delegation visited Jeddah to assess key athletic infrastructure, including the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium and the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, as well as the proposed training and accommodation facilities.

This is the first time that Saudi Arabia will host the prestigious tournament, and the President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser Al Misehal, expressed his satisfaction at the news.

"We are delighted that Jeddah, with its state-of-the-art facilities and reputation for hosting major international sports events, has been selected as host city for the FIFA Club World Cup," he said.

Al Misehal also highlighted the role of sports in Saudi Arabia's development as part of Vision 2030.

"Sport is a key driver of Saudi Arabia's ongoing transformation under Vision 2030, which has established the Kingdom as one of the fastest growing and most exciting countries in world sport," he said.

"We believe hosting international events like the FIFA Club World Cup provides an opportunity to grow the game further and inspire new and existing fans, while showcasing to the world Saudi's hospitable culture and huge passion for football." The SAFF said.

The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organized by FIFA. The first edition took place in Brazil in 2000, followed by a four-year hiatus.

Since 2005, it has been held annually and has been hosted by Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Qatar.

Real Madrid holds the record for the most titles, having won the competition in five editions.

The club Auckland City from New Zealand has participated in the most different tournaments (ten times), while Egypt's Ahly has played the most matches in the competition, with 22 games under their belt.

"We are ready to deliver an exceptional tournament and an unforgettable experience for players and fans," Al Misehal said.

French football star Kante joins Saudi champions

French midfielder N'Golo Kante signed a three-year-deal with Al-Ittihad Jeddah. Photo: Al-Ittihad Jeddah's official Twitter account 

fbarena.com

France's World Cup-winning midfielder N'Golo Kante has joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, the club said in a statement on Wednesday, joining up with compatriot Karim Benzema.

"Kante is an Ittihad player now!" the club said on Twitter, while chairman Anmar al-Hailee tweeted: "Welcome to our new tiger Kante," a reference to the team's nickname.

The 32-year-old becomes the latest in a line of European stars choosing to ply their trade in the desert kingdom, which is making big-money moves across elite sport.

A dynamic and industrious midfielder, Kante won the World Cup with France in 2018.

    "لا تصدق الشائعات" ⛔️

    كانتي اتحادي ✍️🤩

    📦 to 📦#WelcomeBox2Box pic.twitter.com/yQ225WrQLt

    — نادي الاتحاد السعودي (@ittihad) June 20, 2023

His club career also glitters. He won the Champions League and World Club Cup with Chelsea, as well as back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea.

Kante's contract with the London club was set to expire this month. He has signed a three-year deal with Al Ittihad, the Jeddah-based team said in a statement, though it gave no details of how much Kante will earn.

"Kante's addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club's history," the statement added.

"It is part of the club's efforts to establish itself as a top choice for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League."

He will wear the number seven shirt, which he also donned at Chelsea.

Current Ballon d'Or holder Benzema joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month, after 14 seasons with Real Madrid in which he won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey.

'Very excited'

In a video posted online by the club, the 35-year-old said in a message to his fellow Frenchman: "One time I told you, you're the best player, box to box, in the world. Now I'm happy to play with you again, and of course in the best team in Saudi."

Kante said he was "very excited to play for the Tigers".

The kingdom's league had already signed up five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in January.

His fellow Portuguese international Ruben Neves, currently of Wolves, is reportedly set to join Al Hilal.

Argentina legend Lionel Messi, widely considered the greatest player of all time, declined to make a similar move despite a lengthy Saudi courtship, and will instead join Inter Miami in the United States.

With its oil riches, Saudi Arabia -- a conservative monarchy frequently criticised over its human rights record -- has swiftly achieved a prominent role in world sports.

In football, the presumed goal is hosting the World Cup, which is intended to lift Saudi Arabia's profile and prestige as it tries to diversify its oil-reliant economy by attracting tourists and investors.

In the coming years, Saudi Arabia will organise the men's Asian Cup football, the Olympic-style Asian Games and even the Asian Winter Games in 2029.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the state's sovereign wealth vehicle, holds an 80 percent stake in Newcastle United, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season.

In golf, the PIF has also ruffled feathers. It bankrolls LIV Golf, whose clash with the PGA Tour nearly caused a rupture in the sport.

A surprise merger between the rival tours earlier this month settled a legal battle, only a year after LIV Golf launched with several stars who had jumped from the PGA for big-money offers from the upstart series.