Auckland City FC have withdrawn from the 2020 Club World Cup due to quarantine measures required by New Zealand authorities, FIFA confirmed in a statement on Friday.
The competition will now be contested by Al-Duhail SC, Al Ahly SC, FC Bayern Munich, Ulsan Hyundai FC, Tigres UANL and the winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores final which is scheduled for Jan. 30.
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"Despite FIFA's regular exchanges with the club, New Zealand Football and the OFC in recent days, the requirements of the New Zealand authorities in relation to isolation and quarantine go beyond FIFA's remit and, therefore, it was not possible to reach a solution," the statement said.
"FIFA together with the Qatari authorities, will implement a comprehensive medical and security protocol providing the safeguards required to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the competition."
The tournament, which brings together six continental champions from across the world, was originally planned for December but was postponed until February because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The draw for the games will take place on Jan. 19.