UAE land World Club Cup 2009 and 2010

Sydney (ANTARA News/dpa) - The football World Club Cup will leave Japan after 28 years to be hosted in the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and 2010, the ruling body FIFA announced on Tuesday.

The FIFA executive committee awarded the event to the UAE which beat rivals Japan and Australia as the tournament was open for bids for the first time.

Japan loses the event - formerly known as the Intercontinental Cup - it had hosted since 1981, with only the 2000 edition played in Brazil.

The final edition in Japan will be played in December as FIFA wanted another host for the event.

Australia was not picked because according to FIFA the distance to the country for the participating teams would not allow enough time to host the tournament within a week.

FIFA said its decision would not affect Australia's bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The tournament is contested by six champion clubs from each FIFA confederation and a team from the host country.

AC Milan won last year with Argentina's Boca Juniors second and Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan third. (*) end