With just over 50 days to go until kick-off, the countdown is well and truly on for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™. The Official Emblem unveiled today embodies the highest achievement in global club football while highlighting the cultural history of the host country.

The most striking element of the emblem reimagines a football as a pearl, in recognition of one of Qatar's earliest industries. The decoration of the iridescent sphere is inspired by mashrabiyas, traditional architectural elements found in residences across the Middle East.

Mashrabiya latticework – like pearl diving – has deep roots, with examples dating back to the Middle Ages. The delicate screens are both decorative and functional, serving the dual purpose of cooling homes and providing an elegant decoration both inside and outside.

The colours featured in the emblem are the burgundy that is characteristic of the Qatari nation and the deep turquoise of Doha Bay. The striking pearl is held aloft by shapes reminiscent of sweeping desert sands and accented with diacritics, a fundamental element of the Arabic alphabet.

The 16^th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup™ will take place from 11-21 December 2019. The next milestone following today's emblem launch is the upcoming Visa pre-sale.

Visa, the official payment services partner of FIFA, is the preferred payment method of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™. Visa is pleased to offer its cardholders exclusive access to purchase match tickets using a Visa card from Tuesday, 22 October at 2:00 PM Doha time until 31 October at 3:00 PM Doha time.

Tickets available to the general public can be found exclusively at fifa.com/tickets. Details on the various sales phases and ticket prices will follow.