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2025 FIFA Club World Cup: 20 facts about the tournament
This summer will host the new look and expanded FIFA Club World Cup - a tournament you can watch LIVE on DAZN.
This year, the competition will be revamped, as 32 sides from around the world head to the USA for the finals, which will be held across June and July.
As the excitement begins to ramp up, here's a way to brush up on your FIFA Club World Cup knowledge, with twenty facts about the global football extravaganza.
Twenty facts about the FIFA Club World Cup
- The first-ever variant of any kind of a global football tournament was in 1909. It was called the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy and was held in Italy in 1909 and 1911, where teams from England, Italy, Germany and Switzerland contested the competition.
- The first official tournament took place in 2000 in Brazil, under the name the FIFA Club World Championship.
- Corinthians, Vasco da Gama, Manchester United, Necaxa, Raja CA, Real Madrid, Al-Nassr, and South Melbourne competed in the first tournament.
- Manchester United's decision to play at the 2000 tournament saw them withdraw from that season's FA Cup and caused an infamous backlash. So much so it was made into a full front page headline by newspapers of the time.
- Real Madrid's Nicolas Anelka scored the first goal of the competition in a 3-1 win against Al-Nassr.
- Brazilian club Corinthians won the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship, beating Vasco da Game on penalties in Rio. It's the only time a team from the host nation has won the competition.
- Real Madrid hold the record for winning the most tournaments. Since 2000, the Spanish giants have been victorious five times.
Mike Hewitt - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
- In 2005, the FIFA Club World Championship merged with the Intercontinental Cup and, a year later, renamed the FIFA Club World Cup.
- No country has had a larger number of winners than England, with four different teams: Manchester United (2008), Liverpool (2019), Chelsea (2021) and Manchester City (2023).
- Japan holds the record for hosting the competition on most occasions. It's been the host nation for eight different tournaments.
- More teams from Brazil have competed in the FIFA Club World Cup than any other nation, with eleven different sides appearing.
- Al-Alyn midfielder Hussein El Shahath has played in more FIFA Club World Cup matches than anyone else, with 15 appearances.
- Pep Guardiola has won the FIFA Club World Cup four times as a manager: Twice with Barcelona (2009 and 2011), once with Bayern Munich (2013) and 2023's victory as boss of Manchester City.
Khalid Alhaj/MB Media/Getty Images
- New Zealanders Auckland City have appeared in a record 12 different FIFA World Cup Cup tournaments.
- Bayern Munich have competed in two FIFA Club World Cup tournaments (2013 and 2020), but are yet to concede a goal.
- The official song for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is the 90s classic Free From Desire by Gala.
adidas
- Toni Kroos's six FIFA Club World Cup wins are more than any other player in the tournament's history.
- The all-time top scorer in FIFA Club World Cups is Cristiano Ronaldo, with seven goals. He is ahead of former Real Madrid teammates Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, who are on six each.
- The brand new FIFA Club World Cup trophy is made by Tiffany and Co. and features a 24-carat gold-plated finish and intricate laser-engraved inscriptions on both sides, including a world map and the names of all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations.
- Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Hamdou Elhouni are the only players who have scored a hat-trick in the competition.
2025 FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZN
Sign up now for a free DAZN account to watch the Club World Cup, starting on Saturday, June 14.
Or, if you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, then the tournament is part of your current membership.
A DAZN Freemium account costs nothing and provides access to action across football, boxing, NFL, golf, motorsports, basketball, padel and more*.
Free TV Channels include Matchroom Boxing, PGA Tour, PowerSports World, Billiard TV and Padel Time TV*.
You only need an email address to register for a Freemium account, with no hidden costs.
Join now to watch the FIFA Club World Cup and other sport for free on DAZN. Sign up here.
*Sports and channels dependant on country of residence
More Club World Cup
- 2025 FIFA Club World Cup fixtures, groups, schedule, venues
- The wonder kids to watch out for at FIFA Club World Cup
- Ten legends to star at FIFA Club World Cup
- FIFA Club World Cup: The continental champions looking for world glory
- A guide to the 12 US Club World Cup venues
- How to watch the Club World Cup on DAZN
