Sat Sep 21 11:30:59 UTC 2024: ## Real Madrid Crowned Champions of First Intercontinental Cup
**Doha, Qatar** – Real Madrid has secured automatic qualification for the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, scheduled for December 18th in Doha, Qatar. The Spanish giants, winners of the European Champions League, will face the victor of the Challenger Cup, a knockout competition featuring the winners of the African-Asian-Pacific Cup playoff, the “Derby of the Americas,” and the Challenger Cup semi-final.
The Intercontinental Cup replaces the annual FIFA Club World Cup, which will now be held every four years starting in 2025. The new tournament will feature five matches culminating in the December 18th final, which also coincides with Qatar’s National Day and the two-year anniversary of the 2022 World Cup final.
The African-Asian-Pacific Cup playoff kicks off the tournament on September 22nd with Asian Champions League winners Al Ain hosting Oceanic Champions League winners Auckland City. The victor will then face African Champions League winners Al Ahly in Cairo on October 29th.
The “Derby of the Americas” will take place in Doha on December 11th, featuring the 2024 South American Libertadores winners against Pachuca, champions of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The winner of this clash will then face the victor of the African-Asian-Pacific Cup playoff in the Challenger Cup semi-final on December 14th.
“The opportunity to host another prestigious football tournament is testament to Qatar’s ability of delivering world-class sport events,” said Minister for Youth and Sports, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani. “Two years after the greatest FIFA World Cup in history, we are proud to host the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024. We look forward to welcoming some of the greatest players in the world for another great event to showcase the legacy of 2022.”
First Piper 