FIFA Redefines Club World Cup Legacy, Declaring Chelsea As First-Ever Champions.
In a bold and controversial move, FIFA has stripped Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Barcelona of their Club World Cup titles, reclassifying them as “FIFA Intercontinental Champions.” The decision, announced on 19 July 2025, establishes Chelsea as the inaugural winners of the revamped Club World Cup, following their commanding 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
The 2025 Club World Cup, held in the United States from 14 June to 13 July, marked the debut of an expanded 32-team format, featuring clubs from six confederations. Chelsea, led by manager Enzo Maresca, clinched the title with a stellar performance, driven by Cole Palmer’s brace and a goal from Joao Pedro. FIFA’s decision to reset the tournament’s historical record has sparked debate, with the governing body now recognising only the 2025 edition as the “true” Club World Cup, relegating previous winners to the Intercontinental Championship status.
Previously, the competition, which ran annually from 2000 to 2023, saw Manchester United triumph in 2008, Liverpool in 2019, and Manchester City in 2023, while Real Madrid secured a record five titles, most recently in 2022. Chelsea also claimed the trophy in 2021. The reclassification aligns with FIFA’s introduction of a new trophy and a quadrennial format, designed to elevate the tournament’s global prestige, akin to the FIFA World Cup. The move has drawn criticism, with some fans on X calling it an attempt to “rewrite history” to boost the revamped competition’s profile.
FIFA’s restructuring also includes the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, a separate annual tournament launched in 2024, featuring continental champions. The 2025 Club World Cup’s success, with an average attendance of 38,369 and standout performances from teams like Al Hilal, who defeated Manchester City 4-3 in extra time, has been hailed as a step forward, despite concerns over player welfare and fixture congestion raised by FIFPRO and the World Leagues Forum.
Chelsea’s victory, celebrated in the presence of notable figures like US President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, positions them as the sole “world champions” until the tournament returns in 2029, with PSG, Pyramids, Al Hilal, and Cruz Azul already qualified. This decision underscores FIFA’s ambition to redefine club football’s global hierarchy, though it has left a bittersweet legacy for some of the game’s biggest clubs.
