FIFA supports pan-Arab test event ahead of Qatar World Cup

By : AFP

Date: 25 June 2020 8:05pm WAT

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during a press conference at the Home of FIFA on June 25, 2020 in Zurich, Switzerland. - FIFA is to make available USD 1.5 billion in grants and loans as a relief fund to help associations impacted by the coronavirus, world football's governing body announced on June 25. Infantino said the relief fund had been "unanimously approved" by the members of its council and insisted there would be "strict controls" on how the money is spent. (Photo by Handout / various sources / AFP)

FIFA on Thursday gave its support for a “pan-Arab” invitational international competition in Qatar in 2021 which will test facilities to be used in the World Cup the following year.

In a statement, the governing body of world football described the tournament as “an invitational competition for men’s national teams that will be contested by Arab nations from Africa and Asia. It will involve home-based players only and be played outside the international match calendar.”

The tournament is scheduled for December 1-18, 2021.

It will be run by the committee that is organising the Qatar World Cup the following year “and will allow the organisers to use facilities and run operations that are also planned for the subsequent FIFA World Cup.”

The number of teams was not been specified.