The 2016 FIFA Club World Cup is upon us.
Seven clubs, representing all regions of the soccer world, descend on Japan where they’ll vie for worldwide supremacy over the next ten days. The club soccer showcase will be the last truly global event on the soccer calendar in 2016.
Real Madrid is the overwhelming favorite to claim the title it last won in 2014 and wrest both the trophy and winners’ badge away from 2015 winner FC Barcelona. Real Madrid stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Toni Kroos can join an exclusive club with a triumph, becoming just the sixth and seventh three-time Club World Cup champion in the competition’s history.
#ClubWC IN NUMBERS 🔢
Ahead of the 2016 Club World Cup, check out some of the tournament's most eye-catching stats
➡️https://t.co/Ex7rvs78tW pic.twitter.com/4IPiebAKky— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 7, 2016
Yet, Colombia’s Atletico Nacional and Mexico’s Club America hope to upset the odds, as do South Africa’s Malmelodi Sundowns, Japan’s Kashima Antlers, South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai and New Zealand’s Aukland City FC.
Fox Sports networks will broadcast all games in the United States and stream them on FOXSoccer2Go.
Here’s the complete schedule for the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup.
First Round
Thursday, Dec. 8
Kashima Antlers 2, Auckland City 1
Second Round
Sunday, Dec. 11
Jeonbuk Hyundai 1, Club America 2
Mamelodi Sundowns 0, Kashima Antlers 2
Fifth-Place Game
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Mamelodi Sundowns 1, Jeonbuk Hyundai 4
Semifinals
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Atletico Nacional 0, Kashima Antlers 3
Thursday, Dec. 15
Real Madrid 2, Club America 0
Third-place Game
Sunday, Dec. 18
Club America 2, Atletico Nacional 2 (Atletico Nacional wins penalty-kick shootout 4-3)
Final
Sunday, Dec. 18
Real Madrid 4, Kashima Antlers 2 (after extra time)
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/Real Madrid C.F.
