UAE chosen to host Club World Cup

SYDNEY, Australia -- The United Arab Emirates has been chosen to stage the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010, FIFA has announced in Sydney.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a press conference that the competition would return to Japan in the following two years.

He said that the UAE was particularly suitable as a venue for an event played in December.

"It was the will of FIFA and our executive committee to bring the Club World Cup to other continents and countries," Blatter said.

"But I must say it's not easy because we are bound by the constraints of the international calendar to play it in December and in that month we have one week to play."

European champions Manchester United will play in this year's edition of the tournament, which features the champions of each continent plus a team from the host country.

Australian officials said they had submitted a bid to host the 2009 and 2010 events, and Blatter revealed FIFA had also received a proposal from Portugal.

He said Mexico, the United States and South Africa were other contenders to host future Club World Cups.

"Finally, it was between Japan and the United Arab Emirates and I must say the UAE's proposal was a very attractive one and we wanted to have a change," he said.

"We knew of the ability of Japan to organize this competition but now we have given the priority to the UAE and they have given us the financial guarantees to organize this competition."

FIFA also announced that Colombia will host the under-20 World Cup in 2011, Mexico will stage the 2011 under-17 World Cup and Trinidad and Tobago will host the 2010 women's under-17 World Cup.

Dates of next year's under-20 World Cup in Egypt have also been changed to September 25-October 16, FIFA said.