Mamelodi Sundowns to face Intercontinental Cup semi-final in Qatar

Mamelodi Sundowns will travel to Qatar in December for the next stage of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup after the world football governing body confirmed the venue for the competition’s final three matches.

The South African champions will play on 12 December against the winners of the Derby of the Americas, scheduled for 9 December in Qatar.

Mexican side Toluca, winners of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, will face the champions of this year’s Copa Libertadores in the Derby of the Americas.

The South American title will be decided on 28 November in Montevideo, Uruguay. Argentina’s Estudiantes secured their place in the final by edging Brazilian side Flamengo on penalties on Thursday, setting up a showdown with Palmeiras, who finished runners-up last year.

If Sundowns win their semi-final, they will advance to the final on 15 December, where they could face holders Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning European champions from France.

The tournament will mark Sundowns’ third appearance in a major international competition outside Africa.

In 2017, the club travelled to Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup after winning their first CAF Champions League title. However, they lost both matches in the competition’s previous format.

Last year, Sundowns competed in the expanded Club World Cup in the United States, collecting four points from three group-stage matches. They narrowly missed out on qualification for the knockout phase.