About FIFA Intercontinental Cup
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup is an intercontinental club championship organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). It replaces the original FIFA Club World Cup and is an additional football tournament for continental champions, held annually as FIFA's top-tier intercontinental club competition. FIFA announced in December 2023 that the new "Intercontinental Cup" would commence in 2024, featuring champions from club competitions across all continents.
Cup History
In December 2022, the FIFA Council approved expanding the FIFA Club World Cup from 7 to 32 teams starting in 2025. Continental football confederations sought to ensure their intercontinental club champions could still compete at a high level annually to maintain competitiveness. In March 2023, the FIFA Council approved the concept of an annual club tournament beginning in 2024; it was officially named the FIFA Intercontinental Cup at the end of December that year. A previous tournament with the same name was contested between the champions of UEFA and CONMEBOL until 2004.
The Champion
In September 2024, FIFA officially confirmed the competition format for the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The tournament featured 6 participating teams: Al Ain Football Club, Auckland City Football Club, Al Ahly SC, Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, C.F. Pachuca, and Real Madrid C.F. The 2024 Intercontinental Cup final took place in Doha, Qatar, on December 19, 2024, with Real Madrid defeating Pachuca 3-0 to claim the title for the 9th time.
