The Montreal Impact are 90 minutes away from being the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League.
While those 90 (OK, it could be 120) minutes will take place in the familiar confines of Montreal's Stade Olympique, with more than 59,000 fans roaring them on, the Impact now know their target destination: Japan.
FIFA confirmed on Thursday that Japan will host the 2015 and 2016 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, the tournament that has been held annually since 2005 among the champions of each member confederation.
Japan has hosted six of the last 10 events, with the United Arab Emirates hosting in 2009-10 and Morocco hosting 2013-14. Brazil hosted the first edition of the tournament, played under a different format, back in 2000.
Japan also hosted the tournament's unofficial predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup from 1980-2004; it pitted the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores champions against each other.
“This is a country with a proven track record when it comes to staging FIFA events, including six editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, which were all successful," FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke said in a statement. "We know it will be a superb setting once again for this annual competition with good-sized crowds and a wonderful atmosphere. The popularity and profile of the competition continues to build each year, and this is sure to continue with the huge support shown within Japan."
The 2015 event will run Dec. 10-20, and an announcement on host cities will be made soon. As hosts, Japan's representative will be the 2015 champions of the J. League, which is only three weeks into its season.
The first of the seven participants will be determined this weekend, when New Zealand clubs Auckland City and Team Wellington meet in the final of the 2014-15 OFC Champions League.
The tournament will also include winners of the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores (both will receive byes to the semifinals), and winners of the AFC and CAF Champions Leagues, both of whom will enter in the quarterfinals with either Montreal or Club América. The OFC champion will play the J. League champion in the opening game, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.
European clubs have won seven of the last eight tournaments, with Real Madrid defeating San Lorenzo 2-0 in last year's final. No CONCACAF team has ever reached the final, with third-place finishes by Necaxa (2000), Saprissa (2005) and Monterrey (2012) the best in confederation history.
