Doha (AFP)

Despite the progression of the Covid-19 pandemic on its soil, Qatar is hosting the Club World Cup from February 4 to 11, with Bayern Munich as a big favorite.

For the International Football Federation (Fifa), this competition is a test of the credibility of its health protocol put in place to protect the teams.

For Qatar, a way of showing the world its organizational skills, less than two years from the 2022 World Cup.

According to a format created in the year 2000, this world cup opposes the winners of major club competitions from the six confederations of Fifa, plus the reigning champion of the organizing country.

Except that this year, there will only be six teams in the running, instead of seven: Auckland, winner of the Oceania Champions League, forfeited due to the quarantine that the New Zealand delegation should have suffered on his return to the country.

Since the coronation of Bayern in 2013, the trophy has never escaped European representatives: Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), Barcelona (2015) and Liverpool (2019) have entered their names on the prize list.

This year again, the European champion is a big favorite.

With Robert Lewandowski, best Fifa player in 2020, Manuel Neuer, best goalkeeper in the world, and his stars Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich or Kingsley Coman, Bayern can complete a historic "grand slam", adding a sixth title to the five already won : German Championship and Cup, Champions League, German and European Super Cups.

- Spectators tested and masked -

The formula is that the representatives of Europe and South America go directly to the semi-finals.

Bayern will meet the winner of the quarter-final between Qataris Al-Duhail and Egyptians Al Ahly on Monday (7 p.m.), scheduled for Thursday (6.30 p.m.).

In the other semi-final (Sunday, 7:00 p.m.), Brazilians from Palmeiras, who just won the Copa Libertadores on Saturday, will also be favorites, regardless of who wins the quarter-final between Mexicans Tigers and South Koreans. Ulsan Hyundai (Thursday, 3:00 p.m.).

In Doha, the atmosphere is particularly calm a few days before kick-off, compared to the previous edition, when thousands of Liverpool and Flamengo supporters invaded the city and tourist sites.

Faced with a very rapid increase in contamination (more than a third over the last seven days compared to the previous week) and hospitalizations (+ 85% in one month), Qatar has completely banned the entry of foreign supporters.

But local supporters will be able to attend the matches, within the limit of 30% of the capacities of the two 40,000-seat stadiums used for the competition.

All these spectators will have to present a negative coronavirus test in order to be able to attend the matches.

Wearing a mask, respecting social distancing and using the contact tracing application will be mandatory.

This 2020 edition was scheduled as every year in December, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic.

The next one, in Japan in December 2021, is expected to be the last in the current format.

Fifa then hopes to launch its first 24-team Club World Cup.

The program (French hours):

.

Quarter-finals, Thursday

(3:00 p.m.) Tigers (MEX) - Ulsan (KOR)

(6.30 p.m.) Al Duhail (QAT) - Al Ahly (EGY)

.

Semi-finals, February 7 and 8

February 7

(7:00 p.m.) Tigers (MEX) or Ulsan (KOR) - Palmeiras (BRA)

February 8

(7:00 p.m.) Al Duhail (QAT) or Al Ahly (EGY) - Bayern Munich (GER)

.

Final, February 11

(4:00 p.m.) Match for 3rd place

(19h00) Final

© 2021 AFP