Barcelona, Santos learn draw for Club World Cup

Nagoya, Japan – Barcelona will open its 2011 FIFA Club World Sadd, it was announced Thursday when the draw for the event was held.

Spain's Barcelona and Brazil's Santos received byes to the semifinals of the tournament, which runs from Dec. 8-18. Santos will play its semifinal on Dec. 14, while four-time European champion Barca plays on Dec. 15.

The championship game is Dec. 18.

Santos will likely play Mexican side Monterrey in the other semifinal, but the North American representative will need to win a quarterfinal against either the 2011 J. League winner - Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka or Nagoya Grampus - or Auckland City from Australia.

Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka and Nagoya Grampus are all within three points at the top of the J. League with three games remaining in the season. The winner plays Auckland on Dec. 8 to open the tournament.

Esperance is the African representative and Al-Sadd is the Asian qualifier.