Chelsea will have to reschedule two Premier League games and possibly a FA Cup tie after their Club World Cup campaign was scheduled between February 3 and 12.
The Blues will travel to the United Arab Emirates for the FIFA tournament, which they must participate in as a reward for winning the Champions League in May.
The timing of the tournament means Chelsea will see their trip to Brighton on February 8 and their home clash against Arsenal on February 12 rearranged, plus a FA Cup fourth round fixture on February 5 should they qualify.
It will mean the current Premier League leaders may go a month without playing top-flight football between January 23 and February 19 - which could affect their title battle with Liverpool and Manchester City.
Thomas Tuchel's side will be joined by fellow worldwide competition winners Al Hilal, Al Ahly, CF Monterrey, Auckland City and Palmeiras in the winter tournament. The tournament also welcomes the top-flight champions of the host nation, which is UAE'S Al Jazira.
Chelsea will enter the tournament at the semi-final stage, with the draw taking place on Monday afternoon at 4pm GMT.
The European champions have won the Club World Cup on each of the last eight editions of the tournament, with Bayern Munich lifting the title in Qatar last February.
Liverpool were the last English team to win the Club World Cup in 2019, back when the tournament was in the middle of December.
Jurgen Klopp's side rearranged just one league fixture against West Ham to make up for their participation but could not move their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash away to Aston Villa for the competition - which took place in Qatar..
That meant Liverpool's first-team played twice in the space of 24 hours, with a group of youngsters turning out against Villa for the cup clash, before the first-team played in the Club World Cup half way across the world.
The cup team were thrashed 5-0 by a full-strength Aston Villa side, before Liverpool went on to win the Club World Cup in the Middle East.
Manchester United are the only English club to win the tournament back in 2008, while Chelsea reached the final of the tournament in 2012 but lost 1-0 to Corinthians in the Japan final.
Liverpool also lost a final to Brazilian opposition in the form of Sao Paulo back in 2005.
SawHotz
0
You don’t have a champions trophy stop crying boy
What is a "champions trophy"🤣🤣 I doubt if any team in the world has won that.
lord_henry-14
0
You don’t have a champions trophy stop crying boy
stop leaving in the past
Kelly_Bz
3
Liverpool and Chelsea lost their respective finals in 2005 and 2012 cause of Benitez, sadly
Abdi1997
0
no matter how it is.. Chelsea must win the FIFA Club World Cup..
we will
somacenrst
0
You can't risk 6 points in the league for the sake of a Mickey Mouse trophy.
You don’t have a champions trophy stop crying boy
SawHotz
0
Chelsea should play their reserve team against Brighton & arsenal 🤣
You can't risk 6 points in the league for the sake of a Mickey Mouse trophy.
raccdkmpt
0
this tournament is useless
Miockmnt
1
Chelsea should play their reserve team against Brighton & arsenal 🤣
Youngben1
0
Pls review your article. You said Man U were the only English side to have.....?
first English team in 2008 Manchester aside for Liverpool 2019
mexicodegreat
7
no matter how it is.. Chelsea must win the FIFA Club World Cup..
miaacekmos
1
Pls review your article. You said Man U were the only English side to have.....?