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Auckland City Brace for 'Toughest Group' in Club World Cup

Players have taken annual leave from their day jobs to compete mid-season against some of the game’s biggest clubs in the United States.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Draw - Miami, Florida, United States - December 5, 2024, General view of the Club World Cup trophy after the draw REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Overview

  • Auckland City qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the Oceania Champions League in April, marking their 12th tournament appearance under caretaker coach Paul Posa.
  • They are drawn in Group C with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors, a trio Posa labels the “toughest group” in the expanded 32-team competition.
  • The mid-June to mid-July schedule falls during their domestic season, forcing players to take annual leave from jobs such as real estate and construction.
  • Ranked 4,957th in the Opta Power Rankings, the part-time squad aims to build on past overachievements including a fourth-place finish in 2014 and a fifth-place run in 2009.
  • After a 1-0 warm-up loss to Al-Ain, the team has focused on adapting its possession-based style for matches against world-class opponents.