Club World Cup still on despite Ebola fears

ZURICH — Preparations for the Club World Cup in Morocco in December are continuing and there is currently no Ebola threat to cause it to be cancelled or postponed, FIFA said yesterday.

“Should the situation change, we will be in touch with the participating clubs accordingly,” FIFA said.

Football’s world governing body said it is in contact with Moroccan authorities and is “constantly updating its position” with regard to Ebola on the advice of the World Health Organization.

Morocco, which is situated in north-west Africa, has no reported cases of the deadly virus that has killed nearly 5,000 people in West Africa, almost all in the three worst-affected countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The Club World Cup, which will feature Champions League winners Real Madrid and South American champions San Lorenzo of Argentina, is scheduled for Dec 10 to 20.

As the top-ranked sides, San Lorenzo and Real will enter the tournament at the semi-final stage. Moghreb Athletic Tetouan of Morocco, New Zealand’s Auckland City and Mexican side Cruz Azul are the other teams so far to have qualified for the tournament.

The matches will be played at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium and the Stade de Marrakech in Marrakesh.

FIFA also said it agrees with the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to move games out of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, but it did not comment on Morocco’s request for the African Cup of Nations in January and February to be postponed because of Ebola.

Morocco has asked organiser CAF if the tournament can be delayed, fearing supporters travelling in numbers from West Africa for the 16-nation, three-week tournament.

CAF insists the Cup of Nations must go ahead on the planned dates — Jan 17 to Feb 8 — and will meet Moroccan authorities early next month.

Possible stand-in countries South Africa, Egypt and Sudan have all declined to host the tournament in Morocco’s place. AP