Mediaset España, the Spanish division of the Italy-based broadcasting group, has secured rights to broadcast the revamped FIFA Intercontinental Cup club competition. This development is expected to generate significant interest in Spain as domestic soccer powerhouse Real Madrid will feature in the final.
The relaunched competition will involve club teams from around the globe competing in five matches, culminating with a grand finale on December 18. The UEFA Champions League winners from Europe automatically qualify for this final match. Last season's champions were none other than Real Madrid.
The six-team tournament will be held in Qatar and features a new format where teams compete through a series of regional play-off matches for annual confederation-based titles and trophies. This structure was announced last December as an alternative to the traditional Club World Cup timings – now set to be played every four years with 32 teams starting from 2025.
Mediaset's coverage plan
Mediaset plans to air four matches on its Mitele subscription OTT platform. Its coverage kicked off on Sunday when Asian Champions League winners Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) triumphed over Oceanic Champions League winners Auckland City (New Zealand) with a scoreline of 6-2 during the African-Asian-Pacific Cup playoff.
Al-Ain is now set to face African Champions League winners Al Ahly in Cairo on October 29th. Following this, attention shifts towards Doha, Qatar where South American Copa Libertadores' 2024 winners will compete against Mexican side Pachuca - Concacaf (North and Central America and Caribbean) Champions Cup holders - on December 11th; an encounter that FIFA has dubbed as "Derby of Americas".
Winners from these two games will then face each other three days later at Challenger Cup for securing their spot against Real Madrid in the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18th. This much-anticipated final will also be broadcasted on Telecinco, Mediaset's free-to-air commercial channel.
A look at past champions
England’s Manchester City are the current holders of the old Club World Cup having won the competition in 2023. However, Real Madrid holds a record with five titles under their belt, with their latest victory dating back to 2022.
Despite these exciting developments, FIFA is still grappling with selling broadcast rights for the first edition of this revamped Club World Cup. Nonetheless, football fans and sports betting enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting tournament filled with thrilling matches and high-stakes competition.
