Advancing would give RSL crack at soccer's big boys

SANDY — There's more than just a trophy at stake tonight at Rio Tinto Stadium.

There's an opportunity to potentially meet one of the big boys — most notably, the European champion.

The winner of tonight's Champions League finale between Real Salt Lake and Monterrey qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan this Dec. 8-18.

The tournament features six continental confederation winners (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceanic) and the host country champion.

"It would be a magnificent accomplishment and would put this franchise in a different realm," said RSL president Bill Manning.

Nick Rimando said playing in the tournament, "would mean the world."

One team has already qualified for the tournament, Auckland City. The New Zealand club won the Oceanic championship earlier this month. Either Real Salt Lake or Monterrey will become the second team to punch its ticket to the prestigious tourney tonight.

The UEFA Champions League is down to four teams (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Schalke 04), and its champion will be crowned in May. The South American champion will be determined in June and then the Asian and African champion won't be determined until November.

The FIFA Club World Cup was founded in 2000, and no MLS team has ever participated in the competition. There was a four-year gap after the 2000 tournament, but its been held annually since 2005 in either Japan or the United Arab Emirates.

The total purse for the tournament is around $17 million, with the winner taking home $5 million.

Pachuca, last year's CONCACAF Champions League champion, lost in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup to African champion TP Mazembe of Congo.

The Oceanic champion and host champion start the tournament this December with a play-in game. The Africa, Asia and North America champion then join in the quarterfinals. The Europe and South America champs get byes into the semifinals.

"In American sports you rarely play anybody from around the world or a different region, and if you do it certainly doesn't mean anything. This means a ton to us as a club and to our league and to American soccer in general," said RSL coach Jason Kreis.

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CONCACAF Champions Cup