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FIFA Club World Cup facts for kids

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FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup logo.svg
Organising body FIFA
Founded 2000; 25 years ago (2000)
Region International
Number of teams 32
(from 6 confederations)
Related competitions FIFA Intercontinental Cup
Current champions England Manchester City
(1st title)
Most successful club(s) Spain Real Madrid
(5 titles)

The FIFA Club World Cup is a big international football competition for men's club teams. It is organized by FIFA, which is the main group that runs football around the world.

This tournament first started in 2000. It was called the FIFA Club World Championship back then. After a short break from 2001 to 2004, it has been held every year since 2005. The competition brings together the best club teams from different parts of the world.

Before the FIFA Club World Cup, there was another important competition called the Intercontinental Cup. This cup was played between the winners of the top European and South American club tournaments. In 2005, the Intercontinental Cup joined with the FIFA Club World Championship. In 2006, the tournament got its current name: the FIFA Club World Cup. The team that wins the Club World Cup gets a special trophy and a certificate.

About the FIFA Club World Cup

How the Tournament Works

The FIFA Club World Cup usually has seven teams. These teams are the champions from the main club competitions in six different football regions (called confederations). These regions are:

The champion team from the country hosting the tournament also gets to play.

The tournament is a knock-out style. This means if a team loses, they are out. The host nation's champion plays against the Oceania champion first. The winner of that game joins the champions from Asia, Africa, and North America in the quarter-finals. The teams that win their quarter-final matches then play against the champions from Europe and South America in the semi-finals. Finally, the winners of the semi-finals play in the big final match.

Top Teams and Winners

Real Madrid from Spain has won the FIFA Club World Cup the most times, with five titles. The first team to win, Corinthians from Brazil, is the only host nation champion to win the cup.

Teams from Spain have won the tournament eight times, which is more than any other country. England has had four different clubs win the tournament, which is the most for any nation. The current champions are Manchester City from England. They won in 2023 by beating Fluminense from Brazil 4–0.

History of the Club World Cup

Las Vegas 89
Las Vegas, Nevada, was where the idea for the competition was discussed by FIFA in December 1993.

Early Ideas for a World Club Tournament

The idea of a "Football World Championship" for clubs goes way back to 1887. In that year, FA Cup winners Aston Villa played against Scottish Cup winners Hibernian. Later, in 1895, English champions Sunderland played Scottish champions Heart of Midlothian.

In 1909, there was another attempt to create a global club tournament called the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy. It was held in Italy and included clubs from England, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. An English amateur team, West Auckland, won it twice.

In the 1950s, the Brazilian Football Association created the Copa Rio. They hoped it would be a club version of the FIFA World Cup. FIFA officials were interested, but it wasn't officially under FIFA's control. Another tournament, the Pequeña Copa del Mundo (Small World Cup), was held in Venezuela during the 1950s. It usually featured two teams from Europe and two from South America.

The Intercontinental Cup and FIFA's Vision

In 1957, the Tournoi de Paris saw Vasco da Gama beat Real Madrid. This was seen as a big match between the best of Europe and South America. In 1960, the Intercontinental Cup officially started. This cup was played between the champions of Europe (UEFA Champions League winner) and South America (Copa Libertadores winner).

FIFA, the world football body, felt that the Intercontinental Cup wasn't a true "world championship." This was because it only included teams from Europe and South America. FIFA wanted a competition that included clubs from all continents. They suggested this idea in 1967, but Europe and South America didn't agree at first.

Over the years, there were many attempts to create a multi-continental Club World Cup. French newspapers tried to organize one in the 1970s, but European teams often refused to join. The Intercontinental Cup itself faced problems, with European champions sometimes not wanting to play.

To save the Intercontinental Cup, a Japanese company called Toyota stepped in in 1980. They sponsored the cup, renaming it the Toyota Cup. It became a single match played in Japan. Toyota offered good prize money, which encouraged teams to participate.

Starting the FIFA Club World Cup (2000–2004)

The idea for the FIFA Club World Cup really took off in the 1990s. Sepp Blatter, who later became FIFA president, said the idea came from Silvio Berlusconi, the president of AC Milan, in 1993. Since all continents now had their own strong club championships, FIFA felt it was the right time for a true Club World Championship.

Brazil was chosen to host the first tournament in 2000. Eight teams from different continents took part. The first goal was scored by Nicolas Anelka for Real Madrid. The final was an all-Brazilian match between Corinthians and Vasco da Gama. Corinthians won on penalties after a 0–0 draw.

The second tournament was planned for Spain in 2001 with 12 clubs, but it was cancelled. This happened because FIFA's marketing partner, International Sport and Leisure, had financial problems. Another attempt to hold the competition in 2003 also failed. Finally, FIFA decided to combine the Intercontinental Cup and the Club World Championship into one event. The last Intercontinental Cup was in 2004, and the new Club World Championship started in Japan in December 2005.

Modern Knock-out Tournaments (2005–Present)

FC Barcelona Team 2011
Pep Guardiola is lifted by his team after Barcelona won the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, beating Santos 4–0 in the final.

The 2005 tournament was shorter and easier to fit into the busy football calendar. It featured six continental champions. The teams from South America and Europe went straight to the semi-finals. A new trophy was also introduced. In the 2005 final, São Paulo from Brazil beat Liverpool from England 1–0.

In 2006, another Brazilian team, Internacional, won the cup by beating Barcelona. But in 2007, Brazilian teams were finally beaten when Milan from Italy won the title. The next year, Manchester United from England became world champions in 2008.

The tournament moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and 2010. Barcelona won in 2009, completing a historic "sextuple" (winning six major trophies in one year). In 2010, TP Mazembe from Congo became the first team from outside Europe or South America to reach the final. They lost to Inter Milan.

The FIFA Club World Cup returned to Japan in 2011 and 2012. Barcelona won again in 2011. In 2012, Corinthians from Brazil won their second title, beating Chelsea from England.

Zinedine Zidane by Tasnim 02
Zinedine Zidane during a press conference at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup. Real Madrid was the first team to win the trophy two years in a row.

Morocco hosted the tournament in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Raja CA from Morocco made it to the final, becoming the second African team to do so. They lost to Bayern Munich. In 2014, Real Madrid won their first Club World Cup.

Japan hosted again in 2015 and 2016. Barcelona won their third title in 2015. In 2016, Kashima Antlers from Japan reached the final, which was a first for a Japanese club. They played a tough game against Real Madrid but lost in extra time.

The UAE hosted again in 2017 and 2018. Real Madrid made history by winning the tournament three years in a row (2016, 2017, 2018). This made them the first team to win it four times in total. In 2018, Al-Ain from the UAE became the first team from their country to reach the final.

Qatar hosted in 2019 and 2020. Liverpool won in 2019, and Bayern Munich won in 2020, completing their own "sextuple." In 2021, Chelsea won their first title. Real Madrid won again in 2022, and Manchester City won in 2023.

Future Expansion and Changes

In 2022, FIFA announced big changes for the tournament. Starting in 2025, the FIFA Club World Cup will have 32 teams and will be held every four years in June. The United States will host the 2025 tournament. The teams will be split into 8 groups, with the top 2 teams from each group moving to a knockout stage.

Because the main Club World Cup will be less frequent, FIFA also approved a new annual club competition starting in 2024 called the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. This new setup has caused some discussion, with concerns about players playing too many games.

Tournament Results

Finals Summary

Ed. Year Host First place game Third place game Num.
teams
Ref.
Winners Score Runners-up Third place Score Fourth place
1
2000
 Brazil Brazil Corinthians
0–0 (aet)
(4–3 p)
Brazil Vasco da Gama Mexico Necaxa
1–1 (aet)
(4–3 p)
Spain Real Madrid
8
2001
 Spain
Tournament cancelled due to financial difficulties
12
2002
Tournament not held
2003
2004
2
2005
 Japan Brazil São Paulo
1–0
England Liverpool Costa Rica Saprissa
3–2
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
6
3
2006
 Japan Brazil Internacional
1–0
Spain Barcelona Egypt Al Ahly
2–1
Mexico América
6
4
2007
 Japan Italy Milan
4–2
Argentina Boca Juniors Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
2–2
(4–2 p)
Tunisia Étoile du Sahel
7
5
2008
 Japan England Manchester United
1–0
Ecuador LDU Quito Japan Gamba Osaka
1–0
Mexico Pachuca
7

6
2009
 United Arab Emirates Spain Barcelona
2–1 (aet)
Argentina Estudiantes LP South Korea Pohang Steelers
1–1
(4–3 p)
Mexico Atlante
7

7
2010
 United Arab Emirates Italy Inter Milan
3–0
Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe Brazil Internacional
4–2
South Korea Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
7
8
2011
 Japan Spain Barcelona
4–0
Brazil Santos Qatar Al Sadd
0–0
(5–3 p)
Japan Kashiwa Reysol
7

9
2012
 Japan Brazil Corinthians
1–0
England Chelsea Mexico Monterrey
2–0
Egypt Al Ahly
7
10
2013
 Morocco Germany Bayern Munich
2–0
Morocco Raja CA Brazil Atlético Mineiro
3–2
China Guangzhou Evergrande
7
11
2014
 Morocco Spain Real Madrid
2–0
Argentina San Lorenzo New Zealand Auckland City
1–1
(4–2 p)
Mexico Cruz Azul
7

12
2015
 Japan Spain Barcelona
3–0
Argentina River Plate Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima
2–1
China Guangzhou Evergrande
7
13
2016
 Japan Spain Real Madrid
4–2 (aet)
Japan Kashima Antlers Colombia Atlético Nacional
2–2
(4–3 p)
Mexico América
7

14
2017
 United Arab Emirates Spain Real Madrid
1–0
Brazil Grêmio Mexico Pachuca
4–1
United Arab Emirates Al-Jazira
7
15
2018
 United Arab Emirates Spain Real Madrid
4–1
United Arab Emirates Al-Ain Argentina River Plate
4–0
Japan Kashima Antlers
7
16
2019
 Qatar England Liverpool
1–0 (aet)
Brazil Flamengo Mexico Monterrey
2–2
(4–3 p)
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
7
17
2020
 Qatar Germany Bayern Munich
1–0
Mexico Tigres UANL Egypt Al Ahly
0–0
(3–2 p)
Brazil Palmeiras
6
18
2021
 United Arab Emirates England Chelsea
2–1 (aet)
Brazil Palmeiras Egypt Al Ahly
4–0
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
7
19
2022
 Morocco Spain Real Madrid
5–3
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal Brazil Flamengo
4–2
Egypt Al Ahly
7
20
2023
 Saudi Arabia England Manchester City
4–0
Brazil Fluminense Egypt Al Ahly
4–2
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
7
21
2025
 United States
32

Club Performances

Performances in the FIFA Club World Cup by club
Club Titles Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
Spain Real Madrid 5 0 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022
Spain Barcelona 3 1 2009, 2011, 2015 2006
Brazil Corinthians 2 0 2000, 2012
Germany Bayern Munich 2 0 2013, 2020
England Liverpool 1 1 2019 2005
England Chelsea 1 1 2021 2012
Brazil São Paulo 1 0 2005
Brazil Internacional 1 0 2006
Italy Milan 1 0 2007
England Manchester United 1 0 2008
Italy Inter Milan 1 0 2010
England Manchester City 1 0 2023
Brazil Vasco da Gama 0 1
2000
Argentina Boca Juniors 0 1
2007
Ecuador LDU Quito 0 1
2008
Argentina Estudiantes 0 1
2009
Democratic Republic of the Congo TP Mazembe 0 1
2010
Brazil Santos 0 1
2011
Morocco Raja CA 0 1
2013
Argentina San Lorenzo 0 1
2014
Argentina River Plate 0 1
2015
Japan Kashima Antlers 0 1
2016
Brazil Grêmio 0 1
2017
United Arab Emirates Al-Ain 0 1
2018
Brazil Flamengo 0 1
2019
Mexico Tigres UANL 0 1
2020
Brazil Palmeiras 0 1
2021
Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0 1
2022
Brazil Fluminense 0 1
2023

Country Performances

Performance by nation
Country Titles Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
 Spain 8 1 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 2006
 Brazil 4 6 2000, 2005, 2006, 2012 2000, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023
 England 4 2 2008, 2019, 2021, 2023 2005, 2012
 Italy 2 0 2007, 2010
 Germany 2 0 2013, 2020
 Argentina 0 4
2007, 2009, 2014, 2015
 Ecuador 0 1
2008
 DR Congo 0 1
2010
 Morocco 0 1
2013
 Japan 0 1
2016
 United Arab Emirates 0 1
2018
 Mexico 0 1
2020
 Saudi Arabia 0 1
2022

Confederation Performances

Teams from Africa and Asia have reached the final three times each. TP Mazembe (2010) and Raja CA (2013) from Africa finished second. Kashima Antlers (2016), Al-Ain (2018), and Al-Hilal (2022) from Asia also finished second. The best result for North America was Tigres UANL finishing second in 2020. These six clubs are the only teams from outside Europe and South America to reach the final.

Auckland City from Oceania finished third in 2014. This is the best result for an Oceanian team so far.

Confederation Winners Runners-up Third place
UEFA 16 3
CONMEBOL 4 11 5
AFC 3 5
CAF 2 4
CONCACAF 1 5
OFC 1
Total 20 20 20

Trophy and Awards

The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy

The first trophy used in 2000 was called the FIFA Club World Championship Cup. It was made of silver and had a football on top.

The current trophy, called the FIFA Club World Cup or la Copa, was first shown in 2005. It was designed in the United Kingdom. This trophy is gold and silver. It weighs about 5.2 kilograms (11.5 pounds) and is 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) tall.

The design of the trophy shows six pillars. These pillars stand for the six teams from the different football regions. A separate metal structure represents the winning team. All of these hold up a globe shaped like a football, which is a common feature in FIFA trophies.

Awards for Players and Teams

At the end of each tournament, special awards are given out:

  • The Golden Ball is for the best player in the tournament. Media members vote for this award. The second-best player gets the Silver Ball, and the third-best gets the Bronze Ball.
  • The Player of the Match award is given to the best player in each individual game.
  • The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is for the team that shows the best sportsmanship.

The winning team also gets a special FIFA Champions Badge. This badge shows the trophy and can be worn on their jerseys. They can wear it until the next tournament's final. Each of the top three teams also receives gold, silver, or bronze medals for their players.

Prize Money

The first tournament in 2000 offered a total of US$28 million in prize money. The winners received US$6 million.

When the tournament restarted in 2005, the total prize money was US$16 million. The winners received US$5 million, and the runners-up received US$4 million. Teams finishing third and fourth also received prize money.

For the 2007 tournament, a play-off match was added to make it more interesting for the host nation. The prize money increased slightly in 2008 to US$16.5 million.

Prize money (USD)
Winners $5 million
Runners-up $4 million
Third place $2.5 million
Fourth place $2 million
Fifth place $1.5 million
Sixth place $1 million
Seventh place $0.5 million

Sponsors and Records

Tournament Sponsors

Like the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup has big companies that sponsor it. Toyota was a main sponsor until 2014.

In 2015, Alibaba Group signed an eight-year deal to become the main partner of the competition. Other companies like Fujifilm, Hyundai, McDonald's, and MasterCard have also sponsored the event.

Teams playing in the tournament can still wear their own club sponsors on their jerseys.

Records and Statistics

Shahter-Reak M 2015 (11)
Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured in 2015) is the top goalscorer in the tournament's history.

Toni Kroos has won the FIFA Club World Cup six times, which is more than any other player. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most goals in the tournament's history, with seven goals. Hussein El Shahat has played in the most matches, with fifteen appearances.

Real Madrid has won the most titles (five) and has scored the most goals (40) in the competition. Auckland City has played in the most tournaments (11 times). Al Ahly has played the most total matches (25).

Official Songs

Since 2005, the FIFA Club World Cup has had official songs for each tournament.

List of FIFA Club World Cup official songs and anthems
Year Hosts Official songs/anthems Languages(s) Performer(s)
2005  Japan "Legendary Meadow" Japanese Chemistry
2006 "Top of the World" Japanese
2007 "Shining Night" Japanese Chemistry (supported by Monkey Majik)
2008 "Septenova" English and Japanese Gospellers vs. Shintaro Tokita (from Sukima Switch)
2009  UAE "The River Sings" Loxian Enya
2010
2011  Japan "Never Give Up" Japanese Kylee
2012 "World Quest" Japanese NEWS
2013  Morocco "Seven Colors" English and Japanese
2014
"Come Alive" English RedOne feat. Chawki
2015  Japan "Anthem" English NEWS
2016
2017  UAE "Kingdom" English and Japanese
2018 "Spirit" Japanese
2019  Qatar "Superstar" Japanese
2022  Morocco "Welcome To Morocco" English and Arabic RedOne, Douzi, Hatim Ammor, Asma Lamnawar, Rym, Aminux, Nouaman Belaiachi, Zouhair Bahaoui, Dizzy DROS
2023  Saudi Arabia "It's On" English Bebe Rexha, RedOne

See also

  • List of association football competitions
  • FIFA Women's Club World Cup
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