The recently concluded FIFA Club World Cup in the USA, held in a 32-club format, drew significant attention — but also sparked plenty of controversy within the football world.The new world champion is Chelsea, a team that competed in and won Europe’s third-tier continental competition last season, and they also received a major financial reward for their triumph.Against all odds and favourites – it’s the basis of Chelsea’s DNAHowever, FIFA has made a decision that will not sit well with many fans around the globe: it has chosen to erase all previous champions from earlier formats of the Club World Cup, officially dating back to 1960, when the champions of Europe and South America used to face off.That format lasted until 2000, when winners from other continents (a total of eight teams) joined the race for the world title. A new reform followed in 2020 with six clubs, and this year, for the first time, 32 clubs took part in the tournament.FIFA redefines Club World Cup Championship status after Chelsea triumph. The world football governing body tags past Champions as Intercontinental Champions. pic.twitter.com/aRpZnyF9lv— Mohammed Awal Hudu (@AwalMoHudu) July 19, 2025 As a result, FIFA has officially declared Chelsea as the first “FIFA Intercontinental Champion,” while Europe’s most successful clubs — such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Milan, and others — have effectively been stripped of that official status.Still, who really cares about FIFA’s statistics? Once a world champion, always a world champion…##NAJAVA_MECA_9024143##
