Mexico's Pachuca to meet Brazil's Botafogo in FIFA Qatar 2024 Derby of the Americas
Some of the best clubs in the world are gearing up for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2024, which Doha will host starting Wednesday, December 11.
The games, scheduled for December 11, 14, and 18, will see clubs winning three prestigious trophies in the newly re-imagined competition.
The opening match will take place today at Stadium 974, to determine winners of the FIFA Qatar 2024 Derby of the Americas.
It will pit CONCACAF Champions League winners Pachuca from Mexico against Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo from Brazil.
Botafogo clinched the Campeonato Brasileiro title on Sunday, celebrating their first league triumph in 29 years before embarking on the long journey to Doha.
The Copa Libertadores winners had just a day to adjust to the time zone difference, but coach Artur Jorge was optimistic his team would adapt well.
The high-stakes match with Mexico’s Pachuca offers a prestigious trophy and a spot in the FIFA Challenger Cup against Egypt’s Al Ahly on December 14, with a potential FIFA Intercontinental Cup showdown against the mighty Real Madrid on December 18.
“The desire to win titles will overcome fatigue. We only had one day of work here and need to adapt to the schedule. But the team is determined,” Jorge said, according to The Peninsula.
“Botafogo has its philosophy and its stance. Playing in this competition is a wonderful feeling, and now we’ve to give our all to make this game a historic moment,” he added.
Unlike Botafogo, Pachuca arrived in Doha well in advance and held several training sessions in the buildup. They earned their place after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup 2024 in June. However, Guillermo Almada’s side endured a roller-coaster season, securing only three victories, drawing four matches, and losing ten.
“We arrived with the best expectations, despite it not being the best moment,” Almada said.
“We’d time to prepare, something we didn’t have after winning the title. From being champions of Mexico and Concacaf, we’ve come a long way to get here, and we want to play our best despite an unstable semester,” he said.
The match will kick off at 8pm.
Stadium 974, with a capacity of 44,000, is one of the iconic venues constructed for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Having hosted seven matches during the global event, the stadium will host two games in the FIFA Qatar 2024 Intercontinental Cup.
The second match, also at Stadium 974, will be on December 14 and will feature African champions Al Ahly from Egypt facing the winner of the Americas Derby.
Al Ahly, known as the ‘Club of the Century,’ commands an enormous fan base and holds an unparalleled record of 12 CAF Champions League titles, making them the most successful team in African football history.
The tournament will culminate in a grand finale on December 18, when the FIFA Qatar 2024 Challenge Cup winners will face Real Madrid, Spain’s reigning UEFA League champions, at Lusail Iconic Stadium.
This much-anticipated showdown will determine the world’s top club for 2024 and is expected to captivate football fans worldwide.
In addition to hosting matches at two state-of-the-art World Cup venues, the FIFA Qatar 2024 Intercontinental Cup will utilize modern training facilities originally designed for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
For fans visiting Qatar, the tournament will offer a chance to explore the country’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant landmarks while experiencing Qatar's renowned hospitality, an integral part of its cultural identity.
Accessibility for fans with disabilities is a key priority. The tournament will offer audio-descriptive commentary in Arabic and English for blind and visually impaired fans, as well as a sensory assistance room at Lusail Stadium for individuals with sensory sensitivities, including those with autism.
Fans requiring accessibility support can request tickets by emailing accessibility-ficsc.qa.
All attendees must present digital tickets via the official FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2024 app, with tickets required for everyone regardless of age. Stadium gates will open three hours before matches at Stadium 974 and four hours before the match at Lusail Stadium.
To enhance the fan experience, vibrant cultural activities and live performances will take place in fan zones near the stadiums ahead of each match, ensuring a festive atmosphere for all attendees.
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