Like it or loathe it, the Club World Cup is here to stay. Some people bemoan it as a completely pointless waste of time that detracts from a league season, others would argue that it gives us a chance to see matchups that would otherwise never happen.
If you're a fan of the competition, then you'll be ecstatic to learn that it's back to mark the end of this year. The first game starts at 6 PM GMT (1 PM ET, 10 AM PT) on December 12. The tournament this year is being hosted in Saudi Arabia, and the host nation's Al Ittihad will be taking on Auckland City in the curtain raiser. Here's how you can watch the whole tournament. Leon/Urawa Red Diamonds vs Manchester City will be taking place on December 19 at 1 PM ET.
What is the Club World Cup?
The FIFA Club World Cup is an international tournament featuring the top club teams from around the world. It was first held in 2000 and is typically organized annually. Here are the key qualification criteria:
- Continental Champions: Each continent's top club team earns a spot in the tournament.
- UEFA (Europe): UEFA Champions League winner.
- CONMEBOL (South America): Copa Libertadores winner.
- CAF (Africa): CAF Champions League winner.
- AFC (Asia): AFC Champions League winner.
- CONCACAF (North and Central America/Caribbean): CONCACAF Champions League winner.
- OFC (Oceania): OFC Champions League winner.
- Host Nation: The country hosting the tournament is granted a slot for its domestic league champion or a designated team.
- Play-In Match: Teams from less-represented continents (usually Oceania and Asia) may participate in a play-in match to secure a place in the tournament.
How to Watch the Club World Cup in the US
If you're in North America, then good for you! The Club World Cup is completely free for you to watch on FIFA's streaming service, FIFA+. You can get all sorts of football (sorry, not calling it soccer) movies and live events all year round. All you need to do is sign up for an account and then you're good to go. The account is totally free as well so there's no reason to not sign up.
How to Watch the Club World Cup in the UK
You've got a couple of options for the Club World Cup in the UK. If you already have a TNT Sports subscription, then you've got nothing to do, all of the games are available for you to watch right away. If you want to get TNT Sports, then you can sign up for the monthly pass through Discovery+ for £29.99 a month.
Using a VPN to Watch for Free
Here's a quick step by step:
- Sign up/ install your streaming-friendly VPN, like ExpressVPN
- Download the app on your preferred device (compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more).
- Open the app and connect to any server in the United States or Canada
- Sign-up for a free FIFA+ Account
- Clear your cache if you encounter any issues
- Enjoy the tournament
Best VPN for Streaming in 2023
If you need a deeper dive, check out our roundup of the best VPNs.
People can sometimes see the yearly subscription cost of a VPN and shy away. It might look like a lot on paper, but in reality you are getting a lot for your money.
You can unlock geo-restricted content from anywhere in the world and enjoy a whole new world of movies and TV-shows without having to pay extra for them.
They are also incredibly useful beyond just bypassing geoblocking. They're great for avoiding server issues on games or restrictive skill-based-matchmaking (SBMM), online data encryption, shielding your identity, lightning-quick connectivity, and ensuring access to otherwise restricted sites. It's a seriously good investment.
One of the very best VPN deals going right now is for ExpressVPN. They've currently got a great deal on. Sign up today and you'll get yourself 49% off their 1-year deal. You'll also be getting an additional 3-months free. So at the equivalent of $6.67 per month, you're getting 15-months of coverage under one of the best VPNs available at the moment.
Subscribers also get a generous 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can catch all the December Premier League action on your Prime Video trial, and then end your subscription and get your money back, no questions asked.
Competition Schedule
Here is the schedule for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup:
FIRST ROUND
- Al Ittihad vs. Auckland City
- Date: December 12
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
SECOND ROUND
- Leon vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
- Date: December 12
- Kickoff time: 5.30 p.m. local / 9.30 a.m. ET
- Al Ahly vs. Winner of Al Ittihad/Auckland City
- Date: December 15
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
SEMIFINALS
- Fluminense vs. TBD
- Date: December 18
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
- Leon/Urawa Red Diamonds vs Manchester City
- Date: December 19
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
THIRD-PLACE PLAYOFF
- Date: December 22
- Kickoff time: 5.30 p.m. local / 9.30 a.m. ET
FINAL
- Date: December 22
- Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
