FIFA Club World Cup final: Preview of Manchester City vs Fluminense
The champions of Europe and South America face off in the final of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. Find out everything you need to know about the match that takes place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday 22 December.
Football
The stage is set for the final of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup as England’s Manchester City take on Brazil’s Fluminense at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
European champions City enter the match coming off of a 3-0 semi-final victory over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday but will need to be at their best to see off South American champions Fluminense who overcame the challenge of Al Ahly on Monday with a 2-0 victory securing their place in the final.
Should City win, they will become the first English team in history to hold the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup simultaneously.
FIFA Club World Cup final preview
A victory in the Club World Cup would cap an extraordinary year for Fluminense whose extra-time victory over Argentina’s Boca Juniors in the 2023 final of the Copa Libertadores.
A win for Manchester City would also be their first in their history after they qualified for the tournament by beating Italian giants Inter Milan 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League final in June.
City’s Club World Cup semi-final victory was secured without the mercurial talents of inured star striker Erling Haaland who will also miss the final, while Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is a long-term absentee.
In Tuesday’s semi they fielded an unorthodox attacking quarter of Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden with Argentinian World Cup star Julian Alvarez coming off the bench.
Jhon Arias opened the scoring from the penalty sport in Fluminense’s semi-final before the result was put beyond any doubt as John Kennedy scored in the 90th minute of the match.
Kennedy was also the star of Fluminense’s famous Libertadores victory scoring the winner in extra time. On Friday he has the chance to once again write his name into the folklore of the club should he repeat his heroics in Jeddah.
Manchester City vs Fluminense: FIFA Club World Cup squads
Manchester City
Ederson, Kyle Walker, Rúben Dias, Kalvin Phillips, John Stones, Nathan Aké, Mateo Kovačić, Jack Grealish, Rodri, Stefan Ortega, Julián Álvarez, Bernardo Silva, Sergio Gómez, Joško Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Matheus Nunes, Scott Carson, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, Max Alleyne, Mahamadou Susoho, Rico Lewis, Micah Hamilton.
Fluminense
Fábio, Samuel Xavier, Marlon, Alexsander, André, Matheus Martinelli, John Kennedy, Ganso, Keno, Marcelo, Germán Cano, Danielzinho, Jhon Arias, Pedro Rangel, Guga, Thiago Santos, Felipe Melo, Nino, Yony González, Barbosa, David Braz, Lima, Vitor Eudes.
When is the FIFA Club World Cup final and how can I watch it?
The final will take place at 18:00 GMT on Friday 22 December. It will be broadcast live on FIFA+ and Discovery+ app and website, as well as locally in the UK on TNT Sports 2 and in Brazil on Globo & CazéTV.