FIFA has moved the Club World Cup to February next year after the coronavirus pandemic affected the conclusion of continental championships around the world.
The tournament will still be played in Qatar but has been moved from its original dates in December, FIFA announced.
“The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020, which was originally scheduled for December, has been subject to the disruptive effect of the pandemic on the confederations’ continental club championships that serve as a pathway for the event,” the world governing body said in a statement.
“The introduction of strict return-to-play protocols has facilitated a successful resumption of continental club championships, the last of which is now scheduled to conclude by the end of January 2021.
“As a result, the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 will now be held from February 1 to 11, 2021, taking place in Qatar as per the original host appointment by the FIFA Council in June 2019.”
Bayern Munich, who won the delayed 2020 Champions League in August, will be Europe’s representatives in the competition.
FIFA also announced that its women’s Under-20 and Under-17 2020 World Cups have been cancelled, having already been rescheduled until 2021.
Costa Rica will remain as hosts of the Under-20 tournament for 2022, with India hosting the Under-17 event in the same year, FIFA said.
