FIFA has officially recognized Chelsea as the first winners of the expanded Club World Cup format, following their dominant 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the United States.
The Blues secured their historic triumph with a commanding performance that saw Cole Palmer score twice and Joao Pedro add a third goal, cementing their place in football history as inaugural champions of the revamped tournament.
According to reports, FIFA has implemented a significant change in how they classify previous winners of the tournament. Teams that won the former 7-team format will now be renamed as "Intercontinental Champions" to distinguish them from winners of the expanded competition.
The 2025 edition marked a watershed moment for the Club World Cup, expanding from its previous 7-team structure to an ambitious 32-team competition featuring clubs from across the global football landscape.
Manchester City, who had claimed victory in the final edition of the smaller tournament in 2023 with a convincing 4-0 win over Brazilian side Fluminense, faced an early exit in the new format. Pep Guardiola's side was eliminated in the Round of 16 after a thrilling 4-3 defeat to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal following extra time.
Chelsea's triumph comes with additional prestige, as the London club will now be permitted to wear a special gold badge on their jerseys for the next four years, commemorating their status as Club World Cup champions.
The final was not without controversy, as players from both Chelsea and PSG were involved in a confrontation after the match, with PSG manager Luis Enrique later addressing the incident in post-match comments.
Chelsea goalscorer Joao Pedro criticized PSG's reaction to defeat, labeling them as "bad losers" following the heated exchanges that marred the conclusion of an otherwise spectacular tournament.
The expanded Club World Cup format has received mixed reactions from the football community, with concerns about fixture congestion competing with excitement over the tournament's increased global representation and competitive nature.
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