- The Cairo outfit touched down in the UAE to follow their second-round opponents Monterrey from Mexico and the pair will meet at the Al-Nahyan Stadium on 5 February (20:30 GST).
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – : Record Egyptian champions Al Ahly have landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021™ debut that begins on Saturday 5 February.
Pitso Mosimane and his 23-man squad are taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup for the seventh time, making them the team with the second-most appearances in FIFA Club World Cup history. They finished third in 2006 and 2020, the latter of which saw them lose out to eventual winners Bayern Munich in the semi-finals before beating Palmeiras – who also return this year – in the third-place playoff.
Only two CAF representatives have gone further in the 17 previous FIFA Club World Cup tournaments, with TP Mazembe from DR Congo and Morocco’s Raja Casablanca losing in the final of the competition in 2010 and 2013, respectively.
Mosimane’s team will be confident of replicating that success, and even going one better to become the first African winners in FIFA Club World Cup history.
They have started their campaign this season in fine form and sit top of the Egyptian Premier League, while last-season’s 27-goal top-scorer Mohamed Sherif will be one of the most exciting players on display in the UAE capital.
Al Ahly qualified for the tournament by clinching a 10th CAF Champions title in 2021 and the Cairo club will compete against fellow continental club champions CF Monterrey (Concacaf), Chelsea FC (UEFA), SE Palmeiras (CONMEBOL), and Al Hilal SFC (AFC). Tahiti league winners A.S.Pirae (OFC) and UAE champions Al Jazira Club complete the seven-team line up and will face each other in the first round at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on 3 February (20:30 GST).
Monterrey arrived from Mexico a day prior to Al Ahly, with the pair meeting in the second round at the Al Nahyan Stadium on 5 February (20:30 GST).
It will be Monterrey’s fifth bid to lift the FIFA Club World Cup trophy, with the 2021 Concacaf Champions League victors finishing third in 2012 and 2019.
Head coach Javier Aguirre will know Al Ahly well having coached the Egypt national team from 2018 to 2019 and the 63-year-old will have fond memories of the UAE having won the UAE President’s Cup and UAE League Cup during a previous stint with Abu Dhabi club Al Wahda.
Monterrey right-back Edson Gutierrez is also looking forward to getting started.
“We feel very good, very motivated to come to do a great work,” he said. “We come for the dream to get the championship and we will do everything possible to fulfil this dream.”
The winner of that match advances to the first semi-final on Tuesday 8 February, where the victor will challenge Brazilian outfit SE Palmeiras for a spot in the final at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday 12 February (20:30 GST).
In the other half of the draw, the winner of Al Jazira vs. A.S. Pirae takes on 2021 AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal on Sunday 6 February for the chance to play Chelsea in the semi-finals three days later.