ZURICH -- Barcelona will begin their quest for the FIFA Club World Cup title against either Club America of Mexico or the Asian Champions League winners.
The European champions have a bye in the first round and will start in the semifinals on Dec. 17 in Yokohama, following the draw at FIFA's headquarters in Switzerland on Wednesday.
River Plate of Argentina, the Copa Libertadores champions of South America, will also begin in the semifinals. They will play in Osaka against the African Champions League winner, Auckland City of New Zealand or the champions of Japan's domestic J-League.
Auckland City, the Oceania Champions League champions, open the tournament on Dec. 10 against the J-League winners. All seven qualified teams will be known by November.
The tournament's draw took place at FIFA's headquarters on Wednesday.
It will be the 12th edition of FIFA's Club World Cup, and the seventh in Japan.
"To bring the best football clubs in the world together is a great achievement," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.
"The basis of our game is the clubs. Club football is part of football, and therefore of FIFA, so it was important for us to organize this tournament."
The tournament's final takes place in Yokohama on Dec. 20.
Last season, the trophy was won by Barcelona's arch-rivals Real Madrid, who beat Argentina's San Lorenzo 2-0 in the final of the tournament staged in Morocco.
Barcelona last won the title in 2011. River Plate are playing in the competition for the first time.