September 05, (THEWILL) – The draw for the FIFA Club World Cup, Saudi Arabia 2023, has presented an interesting opening test for African champions, Al Ahly.
The Egyptian giants, who qualified by winning the CAF Champions League, will take on either Auckland City of New Zealand or Saudi hosts, Al Ittihad, in the second round. A win for Al Ahly would see them face South American opposition, as they would then meet the eventual winners of the Libertadores Cup in the semi-finals.
Ivorian legend, Yaya Toure, a former winner of the tournament with Barcelona in 2009, helped with Tuesday’s draw in Jeddah. This will be Al Ahly’s eighth appearance in the global club competition, where they have won bronze three times previously.
As well as Al Ahly, African talent will be on display throughout the tournament. Morocco’s Abderrazak Hamed-Allah, and Egyptians Ahmed Hegazy and Nour El Bahar, will play for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, who face Auckland City FC.
The New Zealand side boasts exciting African players like Deandre Vollenhoven of South Africa and Mohamed Awad of Somalia.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
