Two Asian teams will participate in this year's competition: Ulsan Hyundai FC as the 2020 AFC Champions League winners while Qatar champions Al Duhail SC will represent the host nation.

Ahead of the tournament opener between Tigres UANL and Ulsan Hyundai on Thursday, the-AFC.com remembers five of the best Asian performances in the history of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Don't forget to tell us which team produced Asia's most memorable performance in the FIFA Club World Cup in the poll below.

As a player, the former sweeper figured prominently for Korea Republic in four FIFA World Cups across 12 years, most notably captaining the Taeguk Warriors to a historic fourth-place finish at Korea/Japan 2002. As a coach, he guided the national youth side to the last eight at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, before taking the U-23 side to their first bronze medal in the Olympic Football Tournament at London 2012.

Managing the national team at Brazil 2014 - where his side finished winless - may well have proved to be a final time featuring in a FIFA campaign. However, Hong announced his return to the global scene when he was appointed head coach of Ulsan Hyundai FC on December 24 with the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar being his first challenge.

The top clubs from five of football’s six continental confederations will join host nation representatives Al Duhail SC in determining who will be crowned the world’s best. Auckland City FC, who were nominated to represent the Oceania region at the tournament, withdrew from the competition because of COVID-19 quarantine measures required by authorities in New Zealand.

The tournament will also showcase two FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums: Ahmad Bin Ali and Education City. We take look at the six clubs seeking to win the prestigious title.

The tournament kicks off with 2020 AFC Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai FC facing CONCACAF Champions League winners Tigres UANL from Mexico.

Thursday's opening clash will be followed by CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly SC of Egypt playing Qatari champions Al Duhail SC. Ahead of the kick-off, join us as we take a look at some of the FIFA Club World Cup's interesting facts and stats

We kick off the series with the United Arab Emirates, a country passionate for its football where several clubs compete season after season for top honours and, understandably, which can bring about bragging rights as well after downing a rival.

The opening matches are still more than two months away, but that won’t stop us from breaking down Wednesday's draw and examining what to expect from a mouth-watering selection of groups in the West Zone.

Join the-AFC.com as we look at what to expect, what to ponder and what to watch from the matches ahead.

In lieu of waiting until April’s kick-off, we are jumping straight into this year’s extended field, analysing the contenders, the challengers and the storylines ahead in the East Zone of Asia’s premier club football competition.

Join the-AFC.com as we look at what to expect, what to ask and what to watch in the matches ahead.