GENEVA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- World football governing body FIFA announced on Friday that the 2021 Club World Cup will be hosted in Japan with the existing seven-team format rather than a new edition of the 24-team tournament, which was originally awarded to China.

FILE PHOTO: FIFA's President Gianni Infantino gestures during a panel discussion at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland September 30, 2020. (Photo: Agencies)

In October last year, FIFA decided that China will host the first edition of the revamped FIFA World Cup in 2021, which will be held every four years featuring 24 teams and replace the seven-team annual event.

However, the tournament scheduled for June/July 2021 was postponed in March this year following the postponement of the Euro 2020 Championship and the Copa America due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan was chosen to host a traditional 2021 Club World Cup in December 2021, while its 2020 edition will be held in Qatar in February 2021.

The 24-team Club World Cup is "still on the agenda, we just haven't decided when it will take place," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said during a virtual news conference.