FIFA confirms Morocco as Club World Cup hosts

ZURICH (Reuters) - Morocco, which last week declined to host the African Nations Cup in January because of fears over Ebola, will host the Club World Cup next month as planned, soccer's governing body FIFA said on Thursday. "The #ClubWC 2014 will take place in Morocco and all preparations continue as planned," FIFA said on Twitter. The tournament, which also took place in Morocco last year, is held annually and features the champion clubs of each continent. Real Madrid (Europe), San Lorenzo (South America), Western Sydney Wanderers (Asia), Auckland City (Oceania), Cruz Azul (CONCACAF) and Entente Seitif (Africa) will take part, plus Moghreb Athletic, who qualified as champions of hosts Morocco. Morocco pulled out of hosting the Nations Cup because it believes thousands of travelling supporters from west Africa pose a risk and wanted a postponement of at least six months while the fight against Ebola intensified. The virus has killed at least 4,950 people in the world's worst Ebola epidemic since the disease was identified in 1976. Morocco had asked for a postponement of the Nations Cup but CAF said the tournament must go ahead in January and February as scheduled, and said it would name a new host in the next few days.