Where to watch Man City vs Al Hilal in Club World Cup clash | OneFootball

Man City face Al Hilal in Club World Cup showdown amid broadcast boost

Club World Cup expands, spotlight sharpens

In a tournament that now stretches far beyond its old single-match showpiece, Manchester City step into the latest iteration of the Club World Cup, carrying the weight of expectation as European champions and facing Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal.

The match, scheduled for the early hours of Tuesday morning in the UK, has been framed as a relatively routine assignment for Pep Guardiola’s side. Yet, as ever with this competition’s newly bloated structure and political undertones, the fixture is not without intrigue.

Photo: IMAGO

City arrive in the round of 16 after dispatching Juventus in their group stage finale with a typically dominant 5-2 victory. Confidence is high. Fluidity looks restored. But with the game staged under a haze of shifting global football power — where FIFA’s ambitions for the Club World Cup increasingly mirror those of its new strategic partners — matches like this hint at larger storylines than simple results.

Familiar faces and narrative threads

For all the perceived imbalance, Al Hilal’s squad is not short on narrative. João Cancelo will be reunited with former City team-mates. Kalidou Koulibaly and Aleksandar Mitrovic return to a familiar adversary, albeit in different colours. Their presence offers some texture, though it is unlikely to alter City’s focus.

Photo IMAGO

Guardiola is without Claudio Echeverri, sidelined after scoring against Al Ain before sustaining an ankle injury. Rico Lewis remains suspended.

Photo IMAGO

Broadcast details and global access

In a rare move for elite football, the match will be available free-to-air. UK viewers can tune into Channel 5 from 1am BST, while DAZN will stream the game live via its ‘Freemium’ model. A simple registration will grant access to all 63 matches of the tournament, reflecting FIFA’s growing intent to globalise access — and, by extension, interest.

Kick-off is at 2am BST, with City hoping for safe passage to a possible meeting with Inter Milan.