Central & South America

RABAT - Real Madrid are favorites for a record-extending fifth success at the Club World Cup, and in the process keeping up European dominance over South America in the annual tournament, which kicks off in Morocco on Wednesday.

Real, who won previously in 2014 and then three successive tournaments from 2016 to 2018, are on course for a showdown with Flamengo of Brazil in the final but both must play a semifinal match first before they can set up an intriguing decider in Rabat on Feb. 11.

Uruguay's Fernando Muslera and Jose Maria Gimenez were hit with four-match bans by FIFA on Friday, while Diego Godin and Edinson Cavani were suspended for a game each after they confronted the referee following their World Cup match against Ghana.

Some players on Uruguay went after the referee after the final whistle of their 2-0 win over Ghana.

Uruguay needed one more goal to advance to the knockout stages.

Concacaf and CONMEBOL announced the signing of a strategic partnership that will bring the 2024 Copa América to the United States and more. The partnership was put in place in an effort to strengthen the two regions.

The agreement includes three major tournaments: the 2024 Copa América (hosted in the U.S.), the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup (hosted in the U.S.) and a new club competition featuring a “final four” format.

Here are the details for each tournament.

BARCELONA — Dani Alves appeared before a judge in Barcelona on Friday over a sexual assault allegation after Spanish police detained and questioned the Brazil defender and the public prosecutor requested he be jailed on remand.

A spokesperson for the local Mossos d'Esquadra force said officers had taken Alves, who has denied the allegation, to a court office after his arrest where a judge would decide on his case.