FIFA will not hold the 2021 Confederations Cup in Qatar, world soccer's governing body announced on Wednesday.
Since 2001, the FIFA Confederations Cup has been held in the host country for the following year's World Cup and acts in many ways as a dress rehearsal for the event.
However, since the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be held in the winter, with recommended dates of Nov. 26-Dec. 23, 2022, FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke said on Wednesday that another Asian country would host the previous year's Confederations Cup, to be held in the summer of 2021. Which country, however, has not yet been decided, according to Valcke.
The Confederations Cup is an eight-team event featuring the winner of the six continental competitions (UEFA European Championship, CONMEBOL Copa América, CONCACAF Gold Cup, AFC Asian Cup, CAF Cup of Nations, OFC Nations Cup), the defending World Cup champion and the host nation.
The US national team finished second in 2009 and third in 1999 while failing to advance from the group stage in 2003 – the last time the tournament was not held in conjunction with the World Cup. Mexico represented CONCACAF in the 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2013 events, winning the tournament on home soil in '99.
Each of the last three Confederations Cups were won by Brazil (above). For the 2017 Confederations Cup, the CONCACAF representative will be determined by a playoff between the winners of the 2013 and 2015 Gold Cups, unless the 2013 winner – the US – also wins the 2015 edition.
