2000 Club World Cup: Discover its history and whether it was just a “summer tournament”!

Twenty-five years ago, the FIFA Club World Championship marked the organization’s first attempt to stage a tournament that would crown the best club team on the planet. Held in Brazil, the 2000 Club World Cup paved the way for the creation of the official FIFA Club World Cup — which will feature 32 teams competing for the trophy starting June 13 in the United States.

Won by Corinthians, the tournament is often dismissed by some fans. You’ve probably heard jokes about the club having “two World Cups with just one Libertadores” or that European clubs didn’t take the competition seriously. But were the critics right?

To help you reach your own conclusion, we’ve put together this special article on the 2000 Club World Cup and the story behind FIFA’s decision to create such a tournament. Whether you support Corinthians or not, you'd be crazy to skip this read!

How was the 2000 Club World Cup created?

Before FIFA was founded in 1904, British clubs were already self-proclaiming themselves as world champions — starting with Scotland’s Hibernian, who defeated Preston North End in 1887. Though only two years old at the time, the newly created federation even considered organizing its own club tournament in 1906, but the plan didn’t move forward.

It wasn’t until 1970 that FIFA officially proposed a Club World Cup featuring continental champions, which would expand the Intercontinental Cup to include teams from Africa, Concacaf, Oceania, and Asia. Until then, the federation had only been involved in organizing international tournaments for national teams, not clubs.

However, the idea presented by President Stanley Rous on June 23, 1970, was rejected by the European members attending that FIFA Congress, despite being approved by South American representatives. Even with support from the French newspaper L’Équipe and the election of Brazilian João Havelange as FIFA’s new president, the Club World Cup proposal failed to gain widespread backing and was shelved for two decades.

It wasn’t until 1993 that the idea was revived. Proposed by Italian businessman Silvio Berlusconi during a FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Las Vegas, the Club World Championship returned to the discussion table. By 1996, the competition was finally approved, and its official announcement came in 1997. This would be the first time FIFA organized a club tournament recognized as a world championship — and the first to include representatives from every continent.

How was the 2000 Club World Cup?

In search of a host for its first Club World Cup, FIFA announced Brazil as the tournament's venue on June 8, 1999 — with Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Uruguay unanimously losing the vote. Only two stadiums were selected to host matches in the 2000 Club World Cup: the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro and Morumbi in São Paulo.

Who played in the 2000 Club World Cup?

Eight teams competed in this first edition of FIFA’s Club World Cup, with one representative from each continental confederation, the winner of the Intercontinental Cup, and the host country’s team. Since the tournament would be played in January 2000, the selection of teams sparked some controversy.

For example, Al-Nassr was chosen by the AFC for winning the 1999 AFC Super Cup — over Jubilo Iwata, who had actually won the 1999 AFC Champions League. Additionally, Manchester United was invited as the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League winner. Although they initially declined the invitation, they later accepted, as rejecting it could have jeopardized England’s bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

Brazil was the only country with two teams. Vasco da Gama represented CONMEBOL as the 1998 Libertadores champion — while Palmeiras, who won it in 1999, was set to play in the 2001 edition, which never took place. Corinthians, meanwhile, represented the CBF as the 1998 Brazilian League champions — and went on to win the 1999 title as well by defeating Atlético-MG, silencing critics about their selection.

The team invited by FIFA as the Intercontinental Cup champion was Real Madrid, who had won in 1998 — the 1999 champions, Manchester United, had already been picked by UEFA. The remaining participants adjusted their calendars to confirm their current champions: Raja Casablanca for CAF, Necaxa for Concacaf, and South Melbourne for the OFC.

What was the format of the 2000 Club World Cup?

Held from January 5 to 11, the Group Stage of the 2000 Club World Cup divided the eight teams into two groups of four. Similar to the FIFA World Cup, each team played three matches, and only the top team from each group would advance to the final. Second-placed teams would face off for third place — a consolation prize in this historic first edition.

Both the final and third-place match included 30 minutes of extra time in case of a draw during regulation. If the tie persisted, the 2000 Club World Champion would be decided by a penalty shootout — with five kicks per side and sudden death if needed.

All Group A matches were held at Morumbi, featuring Corinthians, Real Madrid, Al-Nassr, and Raja Casablanca. Group B matches were played at the Maracanã, with Vasco da Gama, Necaxa, Manchester United, and South Melbourne — the legendary stadium also hosted both the final and the third-place match on January 14.

How was Corinthians’ campaign in the 2000 Club World Cup?

With one of the strongest squads in its history, Corinthians debuted in the Club World Cup on January 4. Against Raja Casablanca, Timão won 2–0 with goals from striker Luizão and defender Fábio Luciano.

On January 7, the team faced a powerful Real Madrid squad featuring Raúl, Roberto Carlos, and Karembeu. In front of 53,000 fans, Corinthians drew 2–2, with both goals scored by striker Edílson — including a memorable nutmeg on the French midfielder. Goalkeeper Dida saved a penalty from Anelka, preventing what would have been a hat-trick.

To finish the group stage, Corinthians beat Al-Nassr 2–0, thanks to goals by midfielder Ricardinho and defensive midfielder Freddy Rincón. The team advanced to the final due to goal difference — Real Madrid had defeated Raja Casablanca 3–2 and fell short by just one goal.

The final, held on January 14, was against Vasco da Gama, featuring stars like Edmundo, Romário, and Juninho Pernambucano. Vasco had the best group stage performance, winning all three of its matches: 2–0 over South Melbourne, 3–1 against Manchester United, and 2–1 over Necaxa.

Earlier that day, Necaxa secured third place by beating Real Madrid 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Then, it was time to crown the first FIFA Club World Champion. Both Brazilian sides featured star-studded lineups in both attack and defense, and neither could break the deadlock — the 0–0 scoreline held through extra time.

In the penalty shootout, Rincón and Fernando Baiano scored for Corinthians, while Romário and Alex Oliveira did the same for Vasco. Luizão then gave Corinthians the lead after goalkeeper Dida saved Gilberto’s attempt. Edu and Viola converted their shots, keeping the shootout alive.

And, in classic Corinthians fashion — “if it’s not dramatic, it’s not Corinthians” — club idol Marcelinho Carioca missed the penalty that could’ve secured the title. Vasco legend Edmundo had the chance to equalize and keep his team’s hopes alive, but sent the ball over the crossbar, handing Corinthians a 4–3 win and the world title in front of 73,000 fans.

Why is the legitimacy of the 2000 Club World Cup title contested?

As an experimental tournament paving the way for the creation of the FIFA Club World Cup, the 2000 edition has faced criticism from some fans. Below are the main arguments used to downplay the competition:

Selection of participants

The selection of teams was questioned due to the absence of some 1999 champions — including Palmeiras, who had just won their first Copa Libertadores, and Jubilo Iwata, the AFC Champions League winner.

Additionally, the presence of two Brazilian teams was criticized. Until the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the 2000 edition was the only one with two clubs from the same country.

Some argued that Palmeiras should have represented Brazil, and Deportivo Cali, Libertadores runner-up, should have represented CONMEBOL — valid criticisms, though FIFA’s endorsement gives the tournament full status as a Club World Cup.

The Intercontinental Cup continued after the 2000 Club World Cup

Another point of contention is the fact that the Intercontinental Cup was still played in 2000. Maintaining its traditional format, Boca Juniors defeated Real Madrid 2-1 on November 28.

While having two “world champions” in the same year may seem strange, the Argentine title does not negate the fact that there was an official competition organized by FIFA.

The Intercontinental Cup continued annually due to contractual obligations. Meanwhile, FIFA was seeking commercial partners to fund its Club World Cup, which it officially relaunched in 2004 — replacing the Intercontinental from 2005 onwards.

European clubs supposedly didn’t take the 2000 Club World Cup seriously

Another common criticism is that some participants supposedly didn’t take the tournament seriously. Left-back Roberto Carlos even referred to it as a “Mundialito” (“Little World Cup”) in an interview with ESPN in 2010, suggesting many players treated the event like a vacation — ironically, Roberto Carlos would later play for Corinthians.

Also, Manchester United’s initial refusal to participate, later reversed, is seen by some as a sign that the Red Devils didn’t take the competition seriously.

This debate has persisted for decades, as the tournament tends to be more valued in continents outside Europe — for South Americans, it’s a chance to defeat a football powerhouse, whereas for Europeans, the Champions League holds more prestige.

It’s worth noting that Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Nottingham Forest refused to take part in seven out of ten Intercontinental Cups in the 1970s — yet no one uses this to discredit titles won by Nacional (Uruguay), Independiente, Boca Juniors, or Olimpia over European runners-up.

Corinthians weren’t continental champions when they won the 2000 Club World Cup

The final argument is that Corinthians held a world title for 12 years before winning the Libertadores. In 2012, the Timão beat Boca Juniors at Pacaembu and then defeated Chelsea in Yokohama, giving the club two World Cups and one Libertadores title — a curious record, as Corinthians are the only club in the world in that category.

With FIFA’s Club World Cup no longer limited to two continents, it has become more common to see non-South American teams reach the final against the European champion. In 2010, TP Mazembe became the first team from outside Europe or South America to reach the final, losing 3-0 to Inter Milan.

Since FIFA’s format always includes a host country’s representative, national champions have reached the final without being continental champions. In 2013, Raja Casablanca played Bayern Munich, while Kashima Antlers and Al-Ain faced Real Madrid in 2016 and 2018.

If any of those local teams had defeated both the Libertadores and Champions League winners, the titles would still be valid — and heavily celebrated — especially with FIFA’s official recognition.

Furthermore, the creation of the Super Club World Cup will debut a new format with more teams, many of which have not won their continental competitions recently — some qualified based on ranking coefficients.

PSG, for example, had not won the UEFA Champions League when they qualified, and clubs like Atlético de Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, and Inter Miami still haven’t won their respective confederation’s top titles. And let’s be honest: if any of them win the FIFA Club World Cup, it will be a monumental achievement regardless.

Do pre-2000 Club World Cups still count?

As mentioned earlier, FIFA prioritized national team competitions in the early 20th century. The Olympic Football Tournament began in 1908, and the FIFA World Cup debuted in 1930. FIFA also recognizes the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy as the first attempt at a global football competition — although not organized by FIFA. The tournament, held from 1909 to 1911, featured clubs from England, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, with West Auckland (England) winning twice.

It’s worth noting that during the mid-20th century, the main football confederations weren’t directly organizing international club tournaments. However, FIFA and CONMEBOL officials were involved in several initiatives: Luiz Valenzuela was among the founders of the South American Championship of Champions, while Jules Rimet and Ottorino Barassi helped create the Latin Cup — along with the Copa Rio, won by Palmeiras and Fluminense in the early 1950s.

With the creation of the Copa Libertadores and the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League), UEFA and CONMEBOL partnered to launch the Intercontinental Cup. Played from 1960 to 2004 between the two continental champions, it was initially not endorsed by FIFA — but was later officially recognized as a Club World Cup.

The debate over whether tournaments not organized by FIFA should be considered official World Cups is broad and deeply rooted in football rivalries. It’s part of the passion that defines the sport, and we’ll dive deeper into this debate in the coming days — so stay tuned, because FIFA’s recognition is key to officially calling these titles Club World Championships.

Bet on the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at Blaze!

If the nostalgia of the 2000 Club World Cup has you excited for this year’s global showdown, you’re in luck: the FIFA Club World Cup will take place from June 15 to July 13 and will feature 32 teams from every continent. Even though it’s being hosted in the United States, it will be far from just a “summer tournament”!

Remember to always study data and statistics about each team and their players to make well-informed, rational decisions. Keep an eye on Blaze’s blog, as we’ll publish a complete tournament guide to help you plan your bets.

And don’t forget — betting is not an investment or source of income, as it involves risks to your mental and financial health. Ignoring those risks can lead to serious consequences, including financial loss and gambling addiction. So play responsibly — and just for the fun of enjoying the most thrilling club competition on the planet.

Ready? Bet on the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at Blaze and get ready to celebrate your goal!