FIFA Reclassifies Club World Cup Titles, Declares Chelsea First ‘Official’ World Champions
In a surprising turn of events, FIFA has revised the historical classification of Club World Cup victories, effectively removing Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City from the list of officially recognized “world champions.”
The announcement came after Chelsea’s dominant 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the newly revamped Club World Cup final, held in New Jersey. Goals from Cole Palmer (2) and Joao Pedro sealed Chelsea’s first title under the competition’s updated format, which now includes 32 teams from all six footballing continents in both group and knockout phases.
FIFA has now officially recognized Chelsea as the first legitimate world champions under this new structure, a move that sidelines previous winners such as United (2008), Liverpool (2019), and City (2023). Instead, those clubs — and all other previous winners — will now be labeled “FIFA Intercontinental Champions,” a title change reported by the Daily Mail.
This ruling effectively separates the previous versions of the tournament from the new format, similar to how the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup (1970–2004) — which pitted European and South American champions against each other — was classified.
FIFA has also introduced a new trophy design, replacing the one used in past Club World Cup editions, further reinforcing the shift and establishing Chelsea as the only officially recognized global champion under the updated rules.
The Club World Cup will return in 2029, with clubs like PSG, Al Hilal, Cruz Azul, and Pyramids FC already qualified after winning their respective continental titles.
The decision has sparked backlash from fans and analysts alike, with many arguing that FIFA is unfairly undermining the legacy of past champions by changing the historical record to reflect the new tournament structure.
