2022 SCCL winners Seattle Sounders await FCWC Draw fate

2022 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL) winners Seattle Sounders FC of the United States will on Thursday learn who their opponent will be in the Second Round of the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.

Last May, the Sounders became the first team ever from Major League Soccer (MLS) to win the SCCL in the Champions League era when they defeated Pumas of Mexico 5-2 on aggregate in the Final, CONCACAF said.

“By virtue of that title-winning run, the Sounders will become the first club from the U.S. to participate in a FCWC,” it said.

CONCACAF said he 2022 FCWC in Morocco will take place from Feb. 1-11 and will feature six other teams in addition to the Sounders: Al Ahly (Egypt), Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Auckland City (New Zealand), Flamengo (Brazil), Real Madrid (Spain) and Wydad Casablanca (Morocco).

The Sounders will be drawn into the second round of the tournament along with Al-Hilal and Wydad Casablanca, CONCACAF said.

It said the tournament will kick off in the First Round when Al Ahly meet Auckland City, with the winner advancing to the Second Round to face one of three aforementioned clubs, including Seattle.

“The Draw will also reveal Seattle’s potential Semifinal opponent, should they win their Second Round match-up,” CONCACAF said.

It said the two teams automatically slotted into the Semifinal stage are 2022 UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid and 2022 Conmebol Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo.

“No matter Seattle’s opponent in the Second Round, the 2022 SCCL champions will fancy their chances of advancing,” CONCACAF said.

In previous editions of the FCWC, CONCACAF said “clubs have fared very well against opposition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).”

CONCACAF said it possesses a 9W-4D-3L record versus AFC teams, 6W-1D-5L against CAF clubs and 3W-1D-0L versus OFC opposition.