RIYADH: A FIFA delegation is visiting Saudi Arabia as part of an inspection tour of the preparations prior to the Kingdom’s hosting of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
The Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday that the visit aimed to assess stadiums nominated to host the tournament, which is scheduled to take place between Dec. 12 and 22.
The delegation looked at the King Fahd International Stadium, Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium and the King Saud University Stadium, while also visiting training facilities in Riyadh.
The visit is part of a series to inspect sport and tournament facilities ahead of the competition.
Ibrahim Al-Kassim, secretary-general of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said that the Kingdom’s organization of the tournament for the first time reflected a significant development of the sports sector in general, and football in particular.
He expressed the federation’s enthusiasm to cooperate with FIFA to organize a memorable tournament.
FIFA delegation visits Kingdom to check on preparations for FIFA Club World Cup
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FIFA delegation visits Kingdom to check on preparations for FIFA Club World Cup
- Stadiums assessed before hosting the tournament in December
Bayern demolishes Wolfsburg 8-1 to go 11 points clear in Bundesliga
- Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues
Michael Olize scored twice as Bayern Munich started the new year by routing Wolfsburg 8-1 with six second-half goals to move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Olize, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz picked apart the Wolfsburg defense on Sunday in a display of dominance which leaves Bayern firmly on course to defend the title in only the 16th game of the 34-game season.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was pleased his players didn’t let up.
“It’s these moments where it’s five, six, 7-1, and they keep running, they keep pressing and keep trying to score goals,” he told broadcaster DAZN. “I have to say, I like that.”
In freezing temperatures for Bayern’s first game since the winter break, Olize got a brace and Kane and Díaz one apiece, along with goals for substitutes Raphael Guerreiro and Leon Goretzka, and two Wolfsburg own-goals.
Bayern only had two nervous moments all game. The first was Dzenan Pejcinovic’s goal for Wolfsburg in the 13th, which leveled the score at 1-1 after right back Konrad Laimer missed an interception.
The other was a brief injury scare for Kane, who needed treatment after being caught on the ankle by defender Moritz Jenz midway through the first half but was soon back in action.
It was Bayern’s biggest margin of victory in a Bundesliga game since Kompany took over ahead of the 2024-25 season. His team has scored a remarkable 63 goals in 16 league games this season, nearly four per game, and conceded only 12.
Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues. Wolfsburg is 14th, three points above the relegation zone, as a troubled season hits a new low.
Bayern’s closest rivals all had difficulties this weekend as second-place Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to Stuttgart and Leipzig’s game was postponed due to snow.
Wolfsburg’s American midfielder Kevin Paredes entered in the 77th minute, his first match this season after recovering from foot surgery in August.
Also Sunday, United States full back Joe Scally scored his first goal since 2023 as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Augsburg 4-0. Gladbach moved up two places to 10th after winning at home for only the second time this season.
