Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City have all lost their status as Club World Cup champions following a controversial decision by FIFA.
The ruling came after Chelsea’s dominant 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final last weekend, held in New Jersey. Cole Palmer scored twice, with Joao Pedro adding a third before halftime to seal the win.
Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup trophy for the first time—having previously lost the final to Corinthians in 2012.
This year’s edition of the tournament featured a completely revamped format, including a group stage and knockout rounds with 32 clubs from six confederations.
FIFA has now officially declared Chelsea as the ‘first-ever’ winners under this new structure, meaning they are recognized as the only club currently holding the title of ‘world champions.’
According to the Daily Mail, past winners—including Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City—will now be reclassified as ‘FIFA Intercontinental Champions.’
It’s important to note that this title is distinct from the historical FIFA Intercontinental Cup, which was played between UEFA and CONMEBOL champions from 1970 to 2004, and also different from the similarly named mini-tournament held in December.
While the previous version of the Club World Cup had its own trophy labeled accordingly, the introduction of this new format has brought a new trophy—and effectively rewritten the record books.
As it stands, Chelsea are now the only team recognized as world champions under the new system, while previous titleholders have effectively been downgraded.
The next Club World Cup is scheduled for 2029, with teams like PSG, Pyramids, Al Hilal, and Cruz Azul already qualified after winning their respective continental competitions.