Liverpool's games at the Club World Cup in Qatar were switched to a new stadium Saturday in a late change of plan because the intended venue is not ready.
The newly built, 40,000-capacity Education City Stadium has not been fully tested, so the semi-final involving Liverpool plus the final and third-place game will be played at Khalifa International Stadium, FIFA said in a statement.
The necessary certification process took longer than expected and therefore the stadium was unable to host the required test events, soccer's world body said.
The official opening of Education City Stadium was postponed until early 2020.
The 45,000-seat Khalifa International Stadium hosted the track and field world championships two months ago. It was already set to stage the Dec. 17 semifinal with Flamengo playing Al Hilal or Esperance.
Liverpool will play on Dec. 18 Qatar's national day against one of three possible opponents: North American champion Monterrey, Qatari club Al Sadd or Oceania champion Hienghene Sport of New Caledonia. The final is Dec. 21.
FIFA said all tickets for the original stadium will transfer to the new venue.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app