SAUDI Arabia has been chosen to host the Fifa Club World Cup for the first time, from 12-22 December.
The announcement comes three days after Real Madrid lifted the trophy in Morocco, following a thrilling 5-3 win over Al-Hilal, the first Saudi club to reach the final of the tournament.
Saudi will be only the sixth host since the competition’s inception in 2000.
The country’s sports minister said hosting the tournament signalled “our desire to be a force for good”.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sporting events in recent years, but has been accused of using events to ‘sportswash’ its reputation.
The country has been criticised for its human rights record by organisations including Amnesty International and Reprieve.
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said: “We are honoured and extremely excited to be given the opportunity to welcome the world’s leading football clubs and their fans to Saudi Arabia.
“Many fans will have recently witnessed our ability as a nation to compete at the highest possible level on the pitch. Now we have the chance to prove we are also world-class hosts off it.
“This is another important step forward on our journey of transformation in football and as a country and I trust all involved will see for themselves the undeniable progress being made at many different levels.
“We host international sports for the simple reason that we truly believe in the power of sport to inspire our boys and girls, to create new connections and build new relationships.”
