ESPN will televise this year’s FIFA Club World Cup, also known as the biggest inconvenience in the footballing calendar.

The curious tournament takes place in Japan later this month, and comprises the six champions of each confederation’s continental tournament, as well as a guest side from the host country.

European champions Barcelona and Copa Libertadores holders Santos get a bye to the semi-finals, while the other five teams will battle it out for the honour of losing to the big fish.

Nobody really cares about the tournament outside of the competing teams-and even then it means at least a week of missed league action, but does provide the opportunity for the winners to claim themselves as dubious ‘world champions’.

But despite all that, ESPN will show this year’s tournament from the semi-final stage onwards for the second year in a row, meaning four matches in total will be televised live.

Wed 14 Dec	Santos v Qualifier (semi-final)	10:30	ESPN
Thu 15 Dec	Barcelona v Qualifier (semi-final)	10:30	ESPN
Sun 18 Dec	Third Place play-off	07:30	ESPN
Sun 18 Dec	Final	10:30	ESPN