The Spanish giants emerged as the winners of the 2016 tournament after a 4-2 victory over Japanese side Kashima Antlers after extra time, in Yokohama.

A total of seven teams will take part at the 14^th edition of the tournament, which features the six champions of continental club competitions.

They will be joined by the host nation’s participant Al-Jazira, who won the UAE Pro League last year.

Real Madrid will be the favourites to retain their title, having earned the right to return to the event by winning their second consecutive UEFA Champions League title last year.

The team, managed by Zinedine Zidane, will head to the tournament boasting a squad containing Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Isco, Sergio Ramos, Keylor Navas and Cristiano Ronaldo, who won The Best FIFA Men's Player Award earlier this year.

The Spanish side will enter the competition at the semi-final stage, along with Brazil’s Grêmio, winners of the 2017 Copa Libertadores.

They will hope to become the third Brazilian side to win the title, following Internacional and Corinthians successes in 2006 and 2012.

Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds will participate in the tournament for the second time, having previously reached the event back in 2007.

They qualified after winning the Asian Champions League last month.

The Japanese side will enter the competition in the quarter-final stage along with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, the African champions.

Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League winners Pachuca will also begin their campaign in the quarter-final.

They will compete in the event for the fourth time, having previously participated in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

New Zealand’s Auckland City will participate for the ninth time, with the Oceanian champions set to meet Al-Jazira tomorrow.

They will hope to replicate their performance at the 2014 event in Morocco, where they surprisingly finished third.

The winners of tomorrow’s clash will advance to a quarter-final tie against Urawa Red Diamonds on December 9, with the reward of that meeting being a last four tie against Real Madrid.

Wydad Casablanca and Pachuca will go head-to-head for the right to play Gremio in the semi-finals.

Both semi-final ties will take place on December 13, with the final due to be held three years later.

Competition is taking place in the UAE for the first time, with the country having been awarded the 2017 and 2018 events back in March 2015.