Thrilling FIFA Club Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2024 starts today

Published: 11 December 2024

NT Bureau
Doha

Doha is gearing up to host the FIFA Qatar 2024 Intercontinental Cup, a thrilling tournament featuring three matches where four of the best clubs from different continents will compete for international glory. The games are scheduled for December 11, 14, and 18, with three prestigious trophies awaiting the winning clubs in this newly re-imagined competition.

The opening match will take place on Wednesday at Stadium 974 and will determine the winner of FIFA Qatar 2024 Derby of the Americas. It pits CONCACAF Champions League winners Pachuca from Mexico against Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo from Brazil.

Pachuca clinched their sixth CONCACAF Champions Cup title, while Botafogo recently celebrated their first South American championship. The Brazilian club also claimed their domestic league title for the first time since 1995, cementing their reputation as a rising powerhouse heading into this prestigious tournament in Doha.

Stadium 974, with a capacity of 44,000, is one of the iconic venues constructed for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Having hosted seven matches during the global event, the stadium is set to host two games in the FIFA Qatar 2024 Intercontinental Cup, embodying the legacy of Qatar’s World Cup and its commitment to sustainability.

The second match, also at Stadium 974, is set for December 14 and will feature African champions Al Ahly from Egypt facing the winner of the Americas Derby. Al Ahly, known as the “Club of the Century,” commands an enormous fan base and holds an unparalleled record of 12 CAF Champions League titles, making them the most successful team in African football history.

The tournament will culminate in a grand finale on December 18, when the FIFA Qatar 2024 Challenge Cup winners will face Real Madrid, Spain’s reigning UEFA League champions, at Lusail Iconic Stadium.