TheFIFA Club World Cup is an internationalassociation football competition organised by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body.[1] The championship was first contested as the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000.[2] It was not held between2001 and 2004 due to a combination of factors, most importantly the collapse of FIFA's marketing partnerInternational Sport and Leisure.[3] Following a change in format which saw the FIFA Club World Championship absorb theIntercontinental Cup, it was relaunched in 2005 and took its current name the season afterwards.[4]
The current format of the tournament, in use since the competition was revamped ahead of the2025 edition, features 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation; 12 teams fromEurope, 6 fromSouth America, 4 fromAsia, 4 fromAfrica, 4 fromNorth, Central America and Caribbean, 1 fromOceania, and 1 team from the host nation. The teams are drawn into eight groups of four, with each team playing three group stage matches in around-robin format. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final.[1]
At the end of each final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished themselves from the rest in different aspects of the game.Spanish clubBarcelona has been the only club to earn every award in one edition, a feat accomplished during the2015 FIFA Club World Cup. Barcelona, along withReal Madrid, are also the only sides to have earned three FIFA Fair Play Trophies.Lionel Messi is also the only player to have won two Golden Ball awards.Uruguayan playerLuis Suárez holds the record for the most goals scored in one edition (five in2015).
theMan of the Match for the best player in each tournament match; first awarded in2013;
theFIFA Fair Play Trophy for the team with the best record of fair play.
The following two awards are no longer given:
theGolden Shoe for best player; only awarded in2000;
theFIFA All-Star Team for the best squad of players of the tournament; only awarded in2000.
The winners of the competition also receive theFIFA Club World Cup Champions Badge; it features an image of the trophy, which the reigning champion is entitled to display on its kit until the final of the next championship.[6] The badge was first presented to Milan, the winners of the2007 final.[7] Initially, all four previous champions were allowed to wear the badge until the2008 final, whereManchester United gained the sole right to wear the badge by winning the trophy.[6]
Each player from the clubs finishing third, second and first also receive one bronze, silver and gold medal each, respectively.[5]
Lionel Messi (left) is the only player to have won two FIFA Club World Cup Golden Balls.
Toyota Motor Corporation, the presenting sponsor of the FIFA Club World Cup from 2005 to 2014, rewarded the Golden Ball winner with one of its vehicles.
Deco is the only player to have won the Golden Ball but not the tournament.
TheGolden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA Club World Cup, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media.[5][8] Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive theSilver Ball andBronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively.[5][8]
Lionel Messi is the only player to have won two Golden Balls.[15]
Cristiano Ronaldo has won most awards (4), one Golden Ball and three Silver Balls.[8]
Brazilian players have won the most Golden Balls, amassing seven.[8] They also hold the record for the most Silver and Bronze Balls with six and five, respectively.[8]
From 2005 to 2021, the winner of the Golden Ball was also presented with a separate trophy by the tournament sponsor.[40][41] This was discontinued from the 2022 edition. The name of the award has varied:
TheMan of the Match award was introduced in2013 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. The award is given to the best player in each tournament match by the FIFA Technical Study Group.
TheFIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team with the best record offair play during the Club World Cup tournament.[5][89] The winners of this award earn the FIFA Fair Play Award, a diploma, a fair play medal for each player and official, and $50,000 worth of football equipment to be used for youth development.[5][89]
Real Madrid is the only club to have won four FIFA Fair Play Trophies.[89]
TheGolden Shoe award went to the top goalscorer of the FIFA Club World Cup. It was only awarded at the inaugural tournament in2000. If more than one player finishes the tournament with the same number of goals, the tie goes to the player who has contributed the mostassists (with the FIFA Technical Study Group deciding whether an assist is to be counted as such).Silver andBronze Boots are awarded to the second- and third-placed players.[90]
TheFIFA All-Star Team is a squad of the best players of the tournament. It was only awarded at the inaugural tournament in2000. The squad includes eleven starters and seven substitutes.[90]
^ab"Bale, Caio and Borre sweep awards".FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 22 December 2018. Retrieved22 December 2018.
^"All about technique".FIFA. 11 December 2005. Retrieved12 February 2021.As well as assessing the FIFA Fair Play Award, the TSG will select the adidas Ball Awards, Gold, which doubles up as the TOYOTA Award, as well as Silver and Bronze.[dead link]
^"Regulations FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018"(PDF).FIFA. 2018. p. 36. Retrieved12 February 2021.The winner of the Golden Ball will be presented with an award by FIFA and/or a Commercial Affiliate appointed by FIFA (e.g. Title Sponsor (cf. art. 30 par. 8)), for which the winner of the Golden Ball may be invited to receive a prize.
^"Double triumph for Messi".FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 18 December 2011. Archived fromthe original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved11 February 2021.
^"Double joy for Corinthians stars".FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 December 2012. Archived fromthe original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved11 February 2021.
^"Regulations FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014"(PDF).FIFA. 2014. p. 43. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 3 December 2014. Retrieved12 February 2021.The winner of the Golden Ball will be presented with an award by the Title Sponsor, for which the player will receive a car as a prize or an equivalent amount in cash.
^"Barcelona trio sweep awards".FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 20 December 2015. Archived fromthe original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved11 February 2021.
Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid)
Romário (Vasco da Gama)
Agustín Delgado (Necaxa)
José Milián (Necaxa)
