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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite facing legal action from player unions, world soccer governing body Fifa is pushing on with its preparations for its expanded Club World Cup, which is set to launch in June 2025.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In another major step towards the tournament becoming a reality, a group stage draw was held in Miami, Florida. The 32 hopefuls learnt their fate, including South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. </span>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#FIFACWC</a> group stage draw. ✔️<a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TakeItToTheWorld</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/4GOctX7MgI\">pic.twitter.com/4GOctX7MgI</a></p>\r\n— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/FIFACWC/status/1864761842557685956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\r\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masandawana are in a fair group and will be confident of qualifying for the next round as one of the top two in the four-team mini-league. The 2016 African champions are grouped alongside Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense of Brazil and South Korean side Ulsan HD. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another potential South African representative at the US-hosted spectacle is coach </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-10-13-young-and-hungry-for-success-rulani-mokwena-an-avid-scholar-of-the-beautiful-game-and-life/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rulani Mokwena</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, although his participation will depend on whether he keeps his job with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mokwena has had a challenging start in Morocco since leaving Sundowns at the end of last season. Wydad currently sit fourth in the Moroccan Premier Division, with five wins, four draws and three defeats from 12 matches. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should Mokwena carry on to the World Cup, he will have an opportunity to take on his coaching role model — Pep Guardiola of Manchester City. The South African coach has never hidden his admiration for his Spanish counterpart.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also in Wydad’s group are Italian giants Juventus, as well as Al Ain, of the United Arab Emirates. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2495871\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/TL_2222081-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1868\" height=\"1103\" /> <em>Coach Rulani Mokwena. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2495875\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188382537.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1883\" height=\"1028\" /> <em>Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City. (Photo: James Gill — Danehouse / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2495870\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188404748.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1801\" height=\"1122\" /> <em>Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents the Fifa Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 draw at Telemundo Studios on 5 December 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Brennan Asplen / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You play three very good teams — Man City, of course, with the pedigree, you know the quality you will get. Juventus are Juventus, strong… And Al Ain are the Asian champions. So, when you play in a group like this you can’t lose,” Mokwena said in reaction to the draw.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite a legal threat from player unions, as well as </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-15-ballooning-sports-schedules-pose-ongoing-welfare-challenge-for-global-athletes-at-their-peak/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">widespread accusations </span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of unilaterally conceptualising the tournament without considering player welfare, Fifa boss Gianni Infantino said he was excited to see what the World Cup would bring.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s about inclusivity, it’s about bringing clubs from all over the world, the 32 best clubs and best players from all over the world together,” Infantino said at the draw ceremony. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving away from its annual format, the World Cup will take place every four years, a year prior to every national World Cup, which is also quadrennial.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The previous iteration of the tournament — which had been contested since 2000 — featured six continental champions, plus a club from the host nation, facing off within a week of action-packed soccer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in that guise, it could never quite garner the hype and prestige of the national team version of the World Cup. Only the supporters of the participating teams were truly invested in it, hence Fifa felt the need to rejuvenate the tournament and exploit its true potential. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the 2025 edition, 63 matches will be played across 12 venues in the US, with each team in the group stages playing each other once. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite facing legal action from player unions, world soccer governing body Fifa is pushing on with its preparations for its expanded Club World Cup, which is set to launch in June 2025.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In another major step towards the tournament becoming a reality, a group stage draw was held in Miami, Florida. The 32 hopefuls learnt their fate, including South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. </span>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#FIFACWC</a> group stage draw. ✔️<a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TakeItToTheWorld</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/4GOctX7MgI\">pic.twitter.com/4GOctX7MgI</a></p>\r\n— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/FIFACWC/status/1864761842557685956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\r\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masandawana are in a fair group and will be confident of qualifying for the next round as one of the top two in the four-team mini-league. The 2016 African champions are grouped alongside Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense of Brazil and South Korean side Ulsan HD. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another potential South African representative at the US-hosted spectacle is coach </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-10-13-young-and-hungry-for-success-rulani-mokwena-an-avid-scholar-of-the-beautiful-game-and-life/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rulani Mokwena</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, although his participation will depend on whether he keeps his job with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mokwena has had a challenging start in Morocco since leaving Sundowns at the end of last season. Wydad currently sit fourth in the Moroccan Premier Division, with five wins, four draws and three defeats from 12 matches. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should Mokwena carry on to the World Cup, he will have an opportunity to take on his coaching role model — Pep Guardiola of Manchester City. The South African coach has never hidden his admiration for his Spanish counterpart.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also in Wydad’s group are Italian giants Juventus, as well as Al Ain, of the United Arab Emirates. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2495871\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1868\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2495871\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/TL_2222081-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1868\" height=\"1103\" /> <em>Coach Rulani Mokwena. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2495875\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1883\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2495875\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188382537.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1883\" height=\"1028\" /> <em>Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City. (Photo: James Gill — Danehouse / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2495870\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1801\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2495870\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2188404748.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1801\" height=\"1122\" /> <em>Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents the Fifa Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 draw at Telemundo Studios on 5 December 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Brennan Asplen / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“You play three very good teams — Man City, of course, with the pedigree, you know the quality you will get. Juventus are Juventus, strong… And Al Ain are the Asian champions. So, when you play in a group like this you can’t lose,” Mokwena said in reaction to the draw.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite a legal threat from player unions, as well as </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-15-ballooning-sports-schedules-pose-ongoing-welfare-challenge-for-global-athletes-at-their-peak/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">widespread accusations </span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of unilaterally conceptualising the tournament without considering player welfare, Fifa boss Gianni Infantino said he was excited to see what the World Cup would bring.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s about inclusivity, it’s about bringing clubs from all over the world, the 32 best clubs and best players from all over the world together,” Infantino said at the draw ceremony. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving away from its annual format, the World Cup will take place every four years, a year prior to every national World Cup, which is also quadrennial.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The previous iteration of the tournament — which had been contested since 2000 — featured six continental champions, plus a club from the host nation, facing off within a week of action-packed soccer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in that guise, it could never quite garner the hype and prestige of the national team version of the World Cup. 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Coach Rulani Mokwena. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)
Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City. (Photo: James Gill — Danehouse / Getty Images)
Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents the Fifa Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 draw at Telemundo Studios on 5 December 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Brennan Asplen / Getty Images)