The Intercontinental Cup, which from 1960 to 2004 pitted the European champion against the Latin American champion, will return starting next year, but with a new format. This was defined by the FIFA Council in the Saudi city of Jeddah, during a meeting in which other important decisions were made, such as the definitions of what the new Club World Cup will be from 2025.
Specifically, the first edition with this format will begin with the single-match confrontation between the champion of Oceania and the champion of Asia or Africa. The winner of that duel will then face the champion of the confederation – African or Asian – that did not play in the first round.
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On the other side of the key, the champions of the Copa Libertadores and the Concacaf will collide. In the first edition, the location will be decided by draw and in subsequent years it will alternate.
The winners from both sides of the draw will play to decide the club that will play the Intercontinental final with the Champions League champion. That decisive match will take place on December 18, 2024 at a neutral venue.
As of 2024, there will be an annual FIFA club competition – the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
The tournament will feature all current confederation premier club competition champions and concludes with a final at a neutral venue between the UEFA Champions League winners and the… pic.twitter.com/rIspRAl7Zq
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 17, 2023
The most winning teams of the Intercontinental
AC Milan and Real Madrid are the European teams with the most titles (3) of the Intercontinental Cup in its old format, before it mutated from 2005 to the current Club World Cup. Peñarol, Nacional and Boca Juniors, also with 3, are the CONMEBOL representatives with the most wins.
Santos (1962, 1963) and São Paulo (1992, 1993) are the Brazilian clubs that have lifted this trophy on the most occasions. Grêmio (1983), and Flamengo (1981) also knew the glory of conquering the Intercontinental.
