FIFA has officially stripped Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and other previous winners of their Club World Cup titles in a major restructuring of football history.
According to reports, these clubs will now be recognized as 'FIFA Intercontinental Champions' rather than world champions, marking a significant change in how football's global club competitions are classified.
In a surprising move, FIFA has decided to recognize Chelsea as the first-ever official winners of the competition. The Blues earned this historic distinction after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final of the 2025 edition last week, making them the only team that can now be officially called 'world champions'.
The 2025 tournament represented a major expansion of the competition, featuring 32 teams from six confederations. This new format appears to be the basis for FIFA's decision to consider it the first true global club championship.
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament, culminating in their comprehensive victory over PSG in the final to secure their place in football history.
Looking ahead, FIFA has confirmed that the Club World Cup will return in 2029. Several teams have already secured qualification for the next edition, including Paris Saint-Germain, Pyramids, Al Hilal, and Cruz Azul, all of whom earned their spots by winning their respective continental championships last season.
This decision represents a significant rewriting of football history, effectively downgrading the achievements of legendary teams like Real Madrid, who had previously won multiple titles in the competition's former format.
The ruling has already sparked debate among football fans worldwide, with supporters of the affected clubs expressing disappointment at seeing their teams' accomplishments reclassified.
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