2018 FIFA Club World Cup: Tournament News & Qualifiers [R]

Nico Limmat · May 27, 2018

Qualified to Date:

UEFA: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (Spain)
CONMEBOL: TBD (Nov 28)
CONCACAF: Club Deportivo Guadalajara S.A. de C.V. (Mexico)
AFC: TBD (Nov 10)
CAF: TBD (Nov 9)
OFC: Team Wellington Football Club (New Zealand)
Host: Al Ain Football Club (UAE)

First Confirmed Match: Al Ain vs. Team Wellington

unclesox · May 27, 2018

Third consecutive FCWC I won't be watching/following.

Paul Calixte · May 28, 2018

HomietheClown said: ↑

They will win. That is al that matters.
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You still watched the UCL final, right?

HomietheClown · May 28, 2018

Paul Calixte said: ↑

You still watched the UCL final, right?
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Of Course.

glennaldo_sf · May 28, 2018

Tickets for the tournament just went on sale for visa card holders. Final tix are priced:

1,950 dirhams premium ($550) - I mean why??!!
400 dhms cat 1 ($110)
200 dhms cat 2 ($60)
100 dhms cat 1 ($30)

Those are very approximate exchange estimates. I wonder if my Qatar National Bank Card will work. Probably because I'm assuming it's going to FIFA / ticket master. I'm tempted to buy, but can feel Sergio Ramos's arm pulling me away every time I try to press the submit key.

EvanJ · May 29, 2018

The converter I found says 100 dirhams is $27.22.

Nico Limmat · May 29, 2018

glennaldo_sf said: ↑

Tickets for the tournament just went on sale for visa card holders. Final tix are priced:

1,950 dirhams premium ($550) - I mean why??!!
400 dhms cat 1 ($110)
200 dhms cat 2 ($60)
100 dhms cat 1 ($30)

Those are very approximate exchange estimates. I wonder if my Qatar National Bank Card will work. Probably because I'm assuming it's going to FIFA / ticket master. I'm tempted to buy, but can feel Sergio Ramos's arm pulling me away every time I try to press the submit key.
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Do it!

(What's the reward for turning in a Qatari spy? )

Paul Calixte · May 29, 2018

Btw, on a similar note: @Nico Limmat @glennaldo_sf any word on next year's Asian Cup? IIRC Qatar are already qualified, and I presume it's a bit too late in the game to kick them out of the AFC à la Israel, so the UAE are gonna have to receive them...right?

Nico Limmat · May 29, 2018

Paul Calixte said: ↑

Btw, on a similar note: @Nico Limmat @glennaldo_sf any word on next year's Asian Cup? IIRC Qatar are already qualified, and I presume it's a bit too late in the game to kick them out of the AFC à la Israel, so the UAE are gonna have to receive them...right?
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Well, Qatari club delegations have been entering the UAE for AFC Champions League games so I don't imagine this will be different. Traveling Qatari fans may be a different matter however.

Nico Limmat · May 29, 2018

unclesox said: ↑

Third consecutive FCWC I won't be watching/following.
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And to make things worse for Barcelona fans, no club has ever won three consecutive club world titles. Ever.

unclesox · May 29, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

And to make things worse for Barcelona fans, no club has ever won three consecutive club world titles. Ever.
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That part doesn't bother me. It's just their participation that gives me little interest in watching. I actually may watch the matches that don't involve them. I usually watch the first game involving OFC v host club no matter.

glennaldo_sf · May 29, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Do it!

(What's the reward for turning in a Qatari spy? )
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Dunno dude, but are you even allowed to have banter with me on a social media forum? What's the reward for reporting that?

We'll just call it even eh

Nico Limmat · Jun 5, 2018

Two final notes before the international club football summer break.

The Copa Libertadores R16 draw has been made.

Elsewhere the AFC gets tough with the Indian FA and their domestic league mess.

In a confidential report the Asian Football Confederation, the AFC, has recommended a unified domestic Indian football league to replace the concurrent Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian clubs face exclusion from the continental club competitions if they don’t comply with the recommendations.
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Nico Limmat · Jun 7, 2018

UEFA earmarks record €2.04 billion for clubs in European competition next season:
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/...llion-clubs-european-competition-next-season/

Out of an estimated €3.25 billion of revenue for European club competition, 93.5% will be distributed to participating clubs. €2.04 billion will be distributed to clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup, while €510 million will be distributed to clubs participating in the UEFA Europa League.
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Your move CONCACAF. @Paul Calixte

(You would think that with the stubborn insistence to host the Gold Cup on a biennial basis by now CONCACAF would have a bit more spare change available than the measly USD 1M put aside as CCL prize money)

Nico Limmat · Jul 16, 2018

Unsurprisingly, it looks like the 2019 and 2020 CWC editions will be in China.

With Alibaba's involvement it was only a matter of time.

Paul Calixte · Jul 17, 2018

Excellent! Great to see it go to a new market, rather than continuing to wear out its welcome in Japan and the UAE.

Nico Limmat · Aug 9, 2018

UAE star player Omar Abdul Rahman will spend the upcoming season on loan at Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal. He will therefore miss the CWC. This is a major loss for Al Ain but EUR 14M isn't too shabby for a one-year loan.

Nico Limmat · Aug 28, 2018

The final eight are set in CAF:

Al Ahly (Egypt)
Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia)
Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
ES Setif (Algeria)
Horoya AC (Guinea)
Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)

That's six former winners and all of them have also played in the CWC. It could have been seven out of eight but Mamelodi Sundowns couldn't beat Horoya at home in the final group stage match.

Nico Limmat · Aug 31, 2018

The Copa Libertadores R16 has concluded. Colo Colo is the only non-Brazil/Argentina club left. They got past Corinthians on away goals. Up next for them is Palmeiras. There were a number of controversies in the Santos-Independiente series.

Elsewhere the first legs of the AFC quarterfinals were played this week.

Esteghlal (Iran) - Al Sadd (Qatar) 1:3
Al Duhail (Qatar) - Persepolis (Iran) 1:0
Kashima Antlers (Japan) - Tianjin Quanjian (China) 2:0
Jeonbuk Motors (S. Korea) - Suwon Bluewings (S. Korea) 0:3

Like I said earlier in the thread, the Qatari clubs mean business this year. Impressive how Xavi's Al Sadd went to Tehran and won 3:1 in front of 78,000 - after a terrible keeper blunder no less.

Nico Limmat · Aug 31, 2018

Also, the 2018 CWC draw will be next week on Tuesday September 4:
https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/y=2018/m=8/news=the-fifa-club-world-cup-draw-explained.html

jared9999 · Aug 31, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

The Copa Libertadores R16 has concluded. Colo Colo is the only non-Brazil/Argentina club left. They got past Corinthians on away goals. Up next for them is Palmeiras.
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2 league confederation Swiss?

Nico Limmat · Aug 31, 2018

jared9999 said: ↑

2 league confederation Swiss?
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Nah, we did have an Ecuadorian and Colombian winner in the past decade.

Paul Calixte · Sep 5, 2018

Wow, @Nico Limmat and I have been asleep at the wheel.

But the draw happened yesterday morning (my time), and the path to the next world championship is set!

Play-In Game

Al Ain (UAE) vs. Team Wellington (NZL)

Quarterfinals

Al Ain/Wellington vs. CAF winner
Chivas de Guadalajara (MEX) vs. AFC winner

Semifinals

Al Ain/Wellington/CAF vs. CONMEBOL winner
Chivas/AFC vs. Real Madrid (ESP)

Nico Limmat · Sep 5, 2018

Paul Calixte said: ↑

Wow, @Nico Limmat and I have been asleep at the wheel.
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Indeed. Busy week at work!

Looks like once again no CONCACAF finalist.

jared9999 · Sep 5, 2018

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Indeed. Busy week at work!

Looks like once again no CONCACAF finalist.
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America is destined to be the first @DGreat @LGRod