Al-Ahli and Auckland FC to Open FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026 in
Short overview
Al-Ahli and Auckland FC will open the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026 in Jeddah on August 26. The winners face Mamelodi Sundowns in September, with the final set for later in the year.
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026™ will begin on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, when Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia host Auckland FC of New Zealand at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The match brings together the champions of Asia and Oceania in the opening fixture of the annual global club competition, which features the winners of FIFA's six confederations.
Qualification and Road to the Final
Al-Ahli secured their place by winning the AFC Champions League Elite, while Auckland FC earned Oceania's spot after triumphing in the inaugural OFC Professional League. The winner of the Jeddah clash will advance to face CAF champions Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria, South Africa, on Saturday, 19 September 2026. That match will determine the winner of the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup and which club progresses to the final stages of the tournament.
Opening Fixtures
The opening fixtures are as follows:
- FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Play-Off:Al-Ahli vs. Auckland FC – 9 PM local time (6 AM, 27 August in Auckland), Wednesday, 26 August 2026, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Al-Ahli/Auckland FC – Saturday, 19 September 2026, Pretoria, South Africa.
The final three matches of the competition will be staged in a single host country, which FIFA will confirm in due course.
Remaining Contenders and Schedule
Concacaf champions Toluca FC will face the winners of the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores in the FIFA Derby of the Americas. The South American champions will be decided following the CONMEBOL Libertadores final in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Saturday, 28 November 2026.
The winner of the FIFA Derby of the Americas will then meet the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup winners in the FIFA Challenger Cup, with a place in the tournament's showpiece match at stake. The FIFA Challenger Cup winners will advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026™ final, where they will face UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Confirmed Participants
Five of the six participating clubs have been confirmed:
- Al-Ahli – AFC champions
- Mamelodi Sundowns – CAF champions
- Toluca FC – Concacaf champions
- Auckland FC – OFC champions
- Paris Saint-Germain – UEFA champions
The final participant will be the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores winners, to be confirmed on 28 November.
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