Why Auckland FC Withdraw From FIFA Club World Cup

Why Auckland FC Withdraw From FIFA Club World Cup By Our Reporter New Zealand side, Auckland City FC, have withdrawn from the FIFA Club World Cup due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures placed by the New Zealand government. Auckland would have faced Al Jazira in the first round on February 3, with the winners facing Al Hilal in the second round. The winner of that match would have then faced Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition. An official statement from the club read: “We’re obviously bitterly disappointed that circumstances have put participation beyond our reach for the second year in a row. A lot of hard work and effort went into preparing to compete in the UAE, so to be unable to go is a blow.” The Blues are set to play their first game of the competition on February eighth, with a place in the final up for grabs. Thomas Tuchel can lead his side to a first-ever success in the tournament, with their only appearance in the Club World Cup ending in a 1-0 defeat to Corinthians in the final of 2012. The Chelsea boss spoke in early December about the competition, but played down its importance. -Sportinglife