PSG made history, this Wednesday (17), by beating Flamengo on penalties 2-1 at the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium, in Al Rayyan, Qatar, and winning the 2025 Intercontinental Cup.
This is the first time that the Parisian club has won a world title. Previously, the team hit the bar in July this year after losing to Chelsea and taking second place in the Club World Cup Super.
Which tournaments does FIFA recognize as World Cups?
FIFA recognizes as world champions all clubs that have won the Intercontinental Cup (1961 to 2004), the Club World Cup (1961 to 2004) and the Club Super World Cup (2025 – ).
Football’s highest governing body recognizes the former Intercontinental Cup as the first world club tournament.
The main sponsor and organizer of the competition was the vehicle manufacturer Toyota and was competed only by representatives from Europe and South America.
The tournament was held from 1961 to 2004. The biggest champions of this format are Milan, Real Madrid, Boca Juniors, Peñarol and Nacional, with three titles each.
From 2005 until 2023, there was the now former Club World Cup, with teams from other continents and the country hosting the competition. The championship adopted the model with knockout phases instead of a single final. The club that won the most cups in the format was Real Madrid, with six titles.
From 2024, the tournament called ‘Club World Cup’ has been renamed the Intercontinental Cup, which will be held annually.
The change was made due to the creation of the ‘Super Club World Cup’, a competition that will bring together 32 teams and will be played every four years.
The current Super World Cup champion is Chelsea, who won the title by beating PSG in the final held in July this year.
No title before 1961 was recognized as a World Cup by FIFA. Palmeiras and Fluminense seek the nickname of world champions after winning the Rio Cups in 1951 and 1952, but have not yet achieved it from FIFA.
Ranking of world champions recognized by FIFA
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Real Madrid – 9 (1960, 1998, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 e 2024)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Milan – 4 (1969, 1989, 1990 e 2007)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Boca Juniors – 3 (1977, 2000 e 2003)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>National – 3 (1971, 1980 and 1988)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>São Paulo – 3 (1992, 1993 and 2005)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Chelsea – 2 (2021 e 2025)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Independiente – 2 (1973 and 1984)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Manchester United – 2 (1999 e 2008)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Santos – 2 (1962 e 1963)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Borussia Dortmund – 1 (1997)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Students – 1 (1968)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Flamengo – 1 (1981)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>International – 1 (2006)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>Manchester City – 1 (2023)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>PSG – 1 (2025)
- &]:indent-5 mb-3 break-words [ul>&]:relative [ul>&]:before:absolute [ul>&]:before:left-1 [ul>&]:before:top-2 [ul>&]:before:w-2 [ul>&]:before:h-2 [ul>&]:before:bg-red-600 [ul>&]:before:rounded-full marker:inline group-[.isActiveSource]:text-xl”>River Plate – 1 (1986)
