THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP TROPHY IMAGE BY ROB BEST
ON SATURDAY UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS CHELSEA WILL TAKE ON COPA LIBERTADORES WINNERS PALMEIRAS IN THE FINAL OF THE 2022 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP IN ABU DHABI, THEY WILL DO SO HAVING WON JUST ONE MATCH TO GET THERE. FOR MANY YEARS THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP AND THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP BEFORE THAT HAS BEEN VIEWED BY THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL FAN AND MEDIA WITH DISTAIN AND ANNOYANCE, DISMISSED AS AN OVERHYPED FRIENDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON.
THE PREMIER LEAGUE BELIEVES IT HAS THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD, AND UEFA BELIEVES IT HAS THE BEST CLUB COMPETITION IN THE WORLD, BOTH MAY WELL BE TRUE BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN FOOTBALL SHOULDN'T HAVE A GENUINE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CLUBS THAT REALLY MATTERS.
FIFA HAS LONG DISCUSSED EXPANDING THE CLUB WORLD CUP AND HAD PLANNED TO RELAUNCH THE EVENT AS A TOURNAMENT PLAYED EVERY FOUR YEARS BEGINNING IN CHINA IN 2021 WHICH WOULD HAVE FEATURED 24 TEAMS, BUT THIS WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. HOWEVER TO ME THE CLUB WORLD CUP, OR AS IT USED TO BE CALLED AND SHOULD BE CALLED, THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, SHOULD BE PLAYED ANNUALLY AND ASSUME THE ROLE OF BEING THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CLUBS IN THE SPORT OF FOOTBALL.
THE FORMAT HOWEVER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND THE TOURNAMENT NEEDS TO BE MOVED AROUND THE WORLD, AND PLAYED AT A DIFFERENT TIME OF THE SEASON, BUT SHOULD ALSO BE DONE WITH A RADICAL OVERHAUL OF THE SPORT. THE KIND OF WHICH THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE TRADITIONALISTS WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, BUT THE KIND OF WHICH THAT RESHAPES THE SPORT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
THE PREMIER LEAGUE BELIEVES IT HAS THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD, AND UEFA BELIEVES IT HAS THE BEST CLUB COMPETITION IN THE WORLD, BOTH MAY WELL BE TRUE BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN FOOTBALL SHOULDN'T HAVE A GENUINE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CLUBS THAT REALLY MATTERS.
FIFA HAS LONG DISCUSSED EXPANDING THE CLUB WORLD CUP AND HAD PLANNED TO RELAUNCH THE EVENT AS A TOURNAMENT PLAYED EVERY FOUR YEARS BEGINNING IN CHINA IN 2021 WHICH WOULD HAVE FEATURED 24 TEAMS, BUT THIS WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. HOWEVER TO ME THE CLUB WORLD CUP, OR AS IT USED TO BE CALLED AND SHOULD BE CALLED, THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, SHOULD BE PLAYED ANNUALLY AND ASSUME THE ROLE OF BEING THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CLUBS IN THE SPORT OF FOOTBALL.
THE FORMAT HOWEVER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND THE TOURNAMENT NEEDS TO BE MOVED AROUND THE WORLD, AND PLAYED AT A DIFFERENT TIME OF THE SEASON, BUT SHOULD ALSO BE DONE WITH A RADICAL OVERHAUL OF THE SPORT. THE KIND OF WHICH THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE TRADITIONALISTS WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, BUT THE KIND OF WHICH THAT RESHAPES THE SPORT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP IS THE MODERN INCARNATION OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP, OR THE EUROPEAN/SOUTH AMERICAN CUP AS IT WAS KNOWN, WHICH WAS FIRST PLAYED FOR IN 1960 AND CONTINUED THROUGH 2004, DESPITE FIFA LAUNCHING THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2000.
THROUGH 1979 THE COMPETITION WAS PLAYED OVER 2 LEGS WITH EACH CLUB HOSTING ONE LEG, THE FIRST MATCH WAS CONTESTED BY REAL MADRID AND PENAROL AND THE COMPETITION HAS HAD SEVERAL FORMATS OVER THE YEARS. FROM 1960 TO 1967 the winner was defined by points (2 per win, 1 per draw), with a third match if necessary. FROM 1968 TO 1979 the winner was defined by goal difference, with no playoff held.
THEN IN 1980 THE COMPETITION BECAME A SINGLE MATCH, PLAYED AT A NEUTRAL VENUE, ALWAYS IN JAPAN. FROM 1980 TO 2001 THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN TOKYO, WHICH WAS DEMOLISHED IN 2005 TO BE REPLACED BY A NEW NATIONAL STADIUM, WHICH HOSTED THE TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS LAST SUMMER. FROM 2002-2004 THE FINAL THREE EDITIONS OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP WERE PLAYED AT THE INTERNATIONAL STADIUM AT YOKOHAMA, VENUE FOR THE 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL AND 2019 RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS IN THE 45 YEAR HISTORY OF THE COMPETITION WERE, FROM EUROPE, AC MILAN AND REAL MADRID, AND FROM SOUTH AMERICA, PENAROL, BOCA JUNIORS AND NACIONAL, ALL WITH 3 VICTORIES.
OVER THE YEARS CLUBS FROM ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND TO COMPETE IN THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP INCLUDED CELTIC, MANCHESTER UNITED, NOTTINGHAM FOREST, LIVERPOOL AND ASTON VILLA. MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE ONLY CLUB TO HAVE EVER WON THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP, DEFEATING PALMEIRAS 1-0 IN 1999 WITH A GOAL FROM ROY KEANE.
THEN IN 2000 FIFA LAUNCHED THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, AND MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF THE ENGLISH AUTHORITIES, FANS AND MEDIA, MANCHESTER UNITED HAD TO WITHDRAW FROM THE FA CUP TO COMPETE IN THE TOURNAMENT IN BRAZIL. ONCE AGAIN THIS WAS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE ATTITUDE OF PEOPLE IN ENGLAND TOWARDS THE REST OF THE WORLD, AND A TREND WHICH DOESN'T SHOW ENGLISH FOOTBALL IN A GOOD LIGHT.
THEY INITIALLY SCOFFED AT THE IDEA OF PLAYING IN THE WORLD CUP, THEN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE OPPOSED ENGLISH ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN CUP AND WHEN FIFA DECIDED TO EXPAND ON THE POTENTIAL OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP OUR PREMIER CLUB OF THAT TIME WERE PANNED FOR PLAYING IN IT. 8 CLUBS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TOOK PART INCLUDING MANCHESTER UNITED, REAL MADRID, CORINTHIANS, VASCO DA GAMA, NECAX, RAJA CASABLANCA, SOUTH MELBOURNE AND AL-NASSR.
THROUGH 1979 THE COMPETITION WAS PLAYED OVER 2 LEGS WITH EACH CLUB HOSTING ONE LEG, THE FIRST MATCH WAS CONTESTED BY REAL MADRID AND PENAROL AND THE COMPETITION HAS HAD SEVERAL FORMATS OVER THE YEARS. FROM 1960 TO 1967 the winner was defined by points (2 per win, 1 per draw), with a third match if necessary. FROM 1968 TO 1979 the winner was defined by goal difference, with no playoff held.
THEN IN 1980 THE COMPETITION BECAME A SINGLE MATCH, PLAYED AT A NEUTRAL VENUE, ALWAYS IN JAPAN. FROM 1980 TO 2001 THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN TOKYO, WHICH WAS DEMOLISHED IN 2005 TO BE REPLACED BY A NEW NATIONAL STADIUM, WHICH HOSTED THE TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS LAST SUMMER. FROM 2002-2004 THE FINAL THREE EDITIONS OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP WERE PLAYED AT THE INTERNATIONAL STADIUM AT YOKOHAMA, VENUE FOR THE 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL AND 2019 RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS IN THE 45 YEAR HISTORY OF THE COMPETITION WERE, FROM EUROPE, AC MILAN AND REAL MADRID, AND FROM SOUTH AMERICA, PENAROL, BOCA JUNIORS AND NACIONAL, ALL WITH 3 VICTORIES.
OVER THE YEARS CLUBS FROM ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND TO COMPETE IN THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP INCLUDED CELTIC, MANCHESTER UNITED, NOTTINGHAM FOREST, LIVERPOOL AND ASTON VILLA. MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE ONLY CLUB TO HAVE EVER WON THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP, DEFEATING PALMEIRAS 1-0 IN 1999 WITH A GOAL FROM ROY KEANE.
THEN IN 2000 FIFA LAUNCHED THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, AND MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF THE ENGLISH AUTHORITIES, FANS AND MEDIA, MANCHESTER UNITED HAD TO WITHDRAW FROM THE FA CUP TO COMPETE IN THE TOURNAMENT IN BRAZIL. ONCE AGAIN THIS WAS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE ATTITUDE OF PEOPLE IN ENGLAND TOWARDS THE REST OF THE WORLD, AND A TREND WHICH DOESN'T SHOW ENGLISH FOOTBALL IN A GOOD LIGHT.
THEY INITIALLY SCOFFED AT THE IDEA OF PLAYING IN THE WORLD CUP, THEN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE OPPOSED ENGLISH ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN CUP AND WHEN FIFA DECIDED TO EXPAND ON THE POTENTIAL OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP OUR PREMIER CLUB OF THAT TIME WERE PANNED FOR PLAYING IN IT. 8 CLUBS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TOOK PART INCLUDING MANCHESTER UNITED, REAL MADRID, CORINTHIANS, VASCO DA GAMA, NECAX, RAJA CASABLANCA, SOUTH MELBOURNE AND AL-NASSR.
IN THE UK BBC BROADCAST THE TOURNAMENT WITH MANCHESTER UNITED GROUP GAMES SHOWN LIVE ON BBC ONE, AND OTHER GAMES SHOWN LIVE ON BBC CHOICE (THE PRE-CURSER TO BBC THREE). GAMES WERE PLAYED ACROSS 2 GROUPS IN SAO PAULO AND RIO DE JANEIRO, WITH THE 2 GROUP WINNERS QUALIFYING FOR THE FINAL. MANCHESTER UNITED HAD A DISASTROUS TIME OF THINGS, DRAWING WITH NECAXA AND LOSING TO VASCO DA GAMA TO BE ELIMINATED IN 3RD PLACE IN THEIR GROUP.
THE FINAL WAS CONTESTED BY THE TWO BRAZILIAN CLUBS AT THE MARACANA WITH CORINTHIANS WINNING ON PENALTIES AFTER A 0-0 DRAW.
A SECOND EDITION OF THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH UP TO 12 CLUBS COMPETING WAS DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN 2001 IN SPAIN, BUT THE EVENT WAS CANCELLED, WEIRDLY, DUE TO THE COLLAPSE OF FIFA'S MARKETING PARTNER ISL. THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNED IN 2005 IN JAPAN WITH 6 CLUBS COMPETING INCLUDING UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS LIVERPOOL, WHO LOST IN THE FINAL 0-1 TO SAO PAULO.
SINCE 2005 THE TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN STAGED IN JAPAN, UAE, MOROCCO AND QATAR. AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, FIFA HAVE DESIRES TO EXPAND IT TO 24 CLUBS AND PLAY THE TOURNAMENT IN CHINA, BUT THE PANDEMIC HAS DELAYED IT AND UEFA ARE NOT EXACTLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT AT ALL.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS UEFA AND FIFA HAVE BEEN AT LOGGER HEADS ABOUT SCHEDULING, INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL, THE RECENT PROPOSAL FOR A BIENNIAL WORLD CUP AND UEFA UNDOUBTEDLY SEE AN EXPANDED CLUB WORLD CUP AS A THREAT TO THE SUCCESS OF THEIR UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
BUT FOR ONCE SURELY THESE TWO ORGANISATIONS CAN PUT THEIR DIFFERENCES ASIDE FOR THE GOOD OF FOOTBALL. HOWEVER I DON'T BELIEVE A GREATLY EXPANDED CLUB WORLD CUP, PLAYED EVERY FOUR YEARS, WOULD BE GOOD FOR FOOTBALL.
THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE A SHOWCASE EACH YEAR FOR THE BEST AND OF THE BEST TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IT NEEDS TO BE THE FINALE TO THE CLUB SEASON.
THE NEW FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD FEATURE THE CLUB CHAMPIONS OF UEFA (EUROPE), CONCACAF (NORTH AMERICA), CONEMBOL (SOUTH AMERICA), AFC (ASIA), OFC (OCEANIA) AND CAF (AFRICA) AS IT DOES NOW, BUT THE TOURNAMENT WOULD BE STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY TO HOW IT CURRENTLY IS, WITH EACH CLUB PLAYING A MINIMUM OF 3 GAMES BEFORE THE FINAL. THE TOURNAMENT WOULD ALSO NOT FEATURE A HOST CLUB, WHICH AL JAZIRA ARE IN THIS YEAR'S EDITION.
THE 6 CLUBS WOULD BE DRAWN INTO TWO GROUPS WITH UEFA, AFC AND OFC IN GROUP A AND CONEMBOL, CONCACAF AND CAF IN GROUP B. THE 3 CLUBS WOULD PLAY EACH OTHER ONCE IN THE GROUP AFTER THE FIRST MATCH WHICH WOULD BE INTER-GROUP FIXTURES, THE GROUP WINNERS PROGRESS TO THE FINAL TO PLAY THE WINNERS OF THE OTHER GROUP, THERE WOULD NOT BE PLAYOFFS FOR PLACES BELOW THE FINAL.
A KEY ELEMENT OF THE NEW FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD BE ITS HOSTS WOULD ROTATE AMONG THE CONFEDERATIONS, WITH THE TOURNAMENT BEING PLAYED AT SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC CITIES. AS A NOD TO HISTORY THE RELAUNCHED TOURNAMENT WOULD KICK OFF IN TOKYO, THE FORMER HOME OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP UNTIL THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUTED IN 2000. THIS NEW FORMAT WOULD MAKE IT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL 6 CLUBS BUT REMAINING SHORT ENOUGH IN DURATION AS TO NOT IMPACT TOO MUCH ON THE FIXTURE SCHEDULE.
ITS NEW POSITIONING AT THE END OF THE SEASON WOULD GIVE IT A SIGNIFICANCE IT JUST DOESN'T CARRY IN THE MINDS OF THE WORLD AUDIENCE WHEN IT IS PLAYED IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY. THE WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD IN ESSENCE BECOME FOOTBALL'S SUPER BOWL, TRULY DETERMINING OUR WORLD CHAMPIONS.
BASED UPON THE 6 TEAMS TAKING PART IN THIS YEAR'S FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP (EXCLUDING HOSTS) THIS WOULD BE THE DRAW AND FIXTURES:
GROUP A - CHELSEA, AL HILAL, AS Pirae
GROUP B - PALMEIRAS, AL AHLY, MONTERREY
MATCHDAY 1 - SATURDAY
CHELSEA V PALMEIRAS
AL AHLY V AL HILAL
AS PIRAE V MONTERREY
MATCHDAY 2 - WEDNESDAY
AL AHLY V MONTERREY
AL HILAL V AS PIRAE
MATCHDAY 3 - SATURDAY
CHELSEA V AL HILAL
PALMEIRAS V AL AHLY
MATCHDAY 4 - WEDNESDAY
CHELSEA V AS PIRAE
PALMEIRAS V MONTERREY
THE FINAL - SATURDAY
GROUP A WINNERS V GROUP B WINNERS
THE FINAL WAS CONTESTED BY THE TWO BRAZILIAN CLUBS AT THE MARACANA WITH CORINTHIANS WINNING ON PENALTIES AFTER A 0-0 DRAW.
A SECOND EDITION OF THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH UP TO 12 CLUBS COMPETING WAS DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN 2001 IN SPAIN, BUT THE EVENT WAS CANCELLED, WEIRDLY, DUE TO THE COLLAPSE OF FIFA'S MARKETING PARTNER ISL. THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNED IN 2005 IN JAPAN WITH 6 CLUBS COMPETING INCLUDING UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS LIVERPOOL, WHO LOST IN THE FINAL 0-1 TO SAO PAULO.
SINCE 2005 THE TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN STAGED IN JAPAN, UAE, MOROCCO AND QATAR. AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, FIFA HAVE DESIRES TO EXPAND IT TO 24 CLUBS AND PLAY THE TOURNAMENT IN CHINA, BUT THE PANDEMIC HAS DELAYED IT AND UEFA ARE NOT EXACTLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT AT ALL.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS UEFA AND FIFA HAVE BEEN AT LOGGER HEADS ABOUT SCHEDULING, INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL, THE RECENT PROPOSAL FOR A BIENNIAL WORLD CUP AND UEFA UNDOUBTEDLY SEE AN EXPANDED CLUB WORLD CUP AS A THREAT TO THE SUCCESS OF THEIR UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
BUT FOR ONCE SURELY THESE TWO ORGANISATIONS CAN PUT THEIR DIFFERENCES ASIDE FOR THE GOOD OF FOOTBALL. HOWEVER I DON'T BELIEVE A GREATLY EXPANDED CLUB WORLD CUP, PLAYED EVERY FOUR YEARS, WOULD BE GOOD FOR FOOTBALL.
THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE A SHOWCASE EACH YEAR FOR THE BEST AND OF THE BEST TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IT NEEDS TO BE THE FINALE TO THE CLUB SEASON.
THE NEW FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD FEATURE THE CLUB CHAMPIONS OF UEFA (EUROPE), CONCACAF (NORTH AMERICA), CONEMBOL (SOUTH AMERICA), AFC (ASIA), OFC (OCEANIA) AND CAF (AFRICA) AS IT DOES NOW, BUT THE TOURNAMENT WOULD BE STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY TO HOW IT CURRENTLY IS, WITH EACH CLUB PLAYING A MINIMUM OF 3 GAMES BEFORE THE FINAL. THE TOURNAMENT WOULD ALSO NOT FEATURE A HOST CLUB, WHICH AL JAZIRA ARE IN THIS YEAR'S EDITION.
THE 6 CLUBS WOULD BE DRAWN INTO TWO GROUPS WITH UEFA, AFC AND OFC IN GROUP A AND CONEMBOL, CONCACAF AND CAF IN GROUP B. THE 3 CLUBS WOULD PLAY EACH OTHER ONCE IN THE GROUP AFTER THE FIRST MATCH WHICH WOULD BE INTER-GROUP FIXTURES, THE GROUP WINNERS PROGRESS TO THE FINAL TO PLAY THE WINNERS OF THE OTHER GROUP, THERE WOULD NOT BE PLAYOFFS FOR PLACES BELOW THE FINAL.
A KEY ELEMENT OF THE NEW FIFA CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD BE ITS HOSTS WOULD ROTATE AMONG THE CONFEDERATIONS, WITH THE TOURNAMENT BEING PLAYED AT SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC CITIES. AS A NOD TO HISTORY THE RELAUNCHED TOURNAMENT WOULD KICK OFF IN TOKYO, THE FORMER HOME OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP UNTIL THE CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUTED IN 2000. THIS NEW FORMAT WOULD MAKE IT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL 6 CLUBS BUT REMAINING SHORT ENOUGH IN DURATION AS TO NOT IMPACT TOO MUCH ON THE FIXTURE SCHEDULE.
ITS NEW POSITIONING AT THE END OF THE SEASON WOULD GIVE IT A SIGNIFICANCE IT JUST DOESN'T CARRY IN THE MINDS OF THE WORLD AUDIENCE WHEN IT IS PLAYED IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY. THE WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD IN ESSENCE BECOME FOOTBALL'S SUPER BOWL, TRULY DETERMINING OUR WORLD CHAMPIONS.
BASED UPON THE 6 TEAMS TAKING PART IN THIS YEAR'S FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP (EXCLUDING HOSTS) THIS WOULD BE THE DRAW AND FIXTURES:
GROUP A - CHELSEA, AL HILAL, AS Pirae
GROUP B - PALMEIRAS, AL AHLY, MONTERREY
MATCHDAY 1 - SATURDAY
CHELSEA V PALMEIRAS
AL AHLY V AL HILAL
AS PIRAE V MONTERREY
MATCHDAY 2 - WEDNESDAY
AL AHLY V MONTERREY
AL HILAL V AS PIRAE
MATCHDAY 3 - SATURDAY
CHELSEA V AL HILAL
PALMEIRAS V AL AHLY
MATCHDAY 4 - WEDNESDAY
CHELSEA V AS PIRAE
PALMEIRAS V MONTERREY
THE FINAL - SATURDAY
GROUP A WINNERS V GROUP B WINNERS
