FIFA Confederations Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup
Founded	1992
Region	International (FIFA)
Number of teams	8
Current champions	Brazil (3rd title)
Most successful team	Brazil (3 titles)
Website	Official site

The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams up to eight.

History and details

FIFA Confederations Cup Trophy

The tournament was originally organised by and held in Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup (Confederations Winners Cup or Intercontinental Championship), contested in 1992 and 1995 by the Saudi national side and some continental champions. In 1997, FIFA took over the organisation of the tournament, named it the FIFA Confederations Cup and staged the competition every two years.^{[citation needed]}

Since 2005, it has been held every four years, in the year prior to each World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. Considered a dress-rehearsal for the World Cup it precedes, it uses around half of the stadia intended for use at the following year's competition and gives the host nation, who qualifies for that tournament automatically, experience at a high level of competition during two years of friendlies. At the same time, participation was made optional for the South American and European champions.^[1]

When the World champion is also winner of its confederation championship, then the confederation championship runner-up also enters the Confederations Cup, ensuring eight teams for the tournament.

On three occasions teams have chosen not to participate in the tournament. The UEFA Euro 1996 winner Germany declined its place in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner-up in that tournament. France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up (and also 1997 Copa America champion). Germany, the runner-up in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, chose not to participate in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Turkey, the third place team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

An earlier tournament existed that invited former World Cup winners, the Mundialito, or Copa D'Oro which celebrated the fifty year anniversary of the first World Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested in 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the Copa America and UEFA European Football Championship, was also another example of an earlier contest between football confederations. Both of these are considered by some to be a form of an unofficial precursor to the Confederations Cup, although FIFA recognized only the 1992 tournaments onwards to be Confederations Cup winners.^[2]

Results

For finals including both Artemio Franchi Trophy and Confederations Cup statistics, see detailed finals.

King Fahd Cup

Year	Host	Final			Third Place Match
Year	Host	Winner	Score	Runners-up	Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
1992 ^[3] Details	Saudi Arabia	Argentina	3–1	Saudi Arabia	United States	5–2	Côte d'Ivoire
1995 ^[3] Details	Saudi Arabia	Denmark	2–0	Argentina	Mexico	1–1 (5–4 pens.)	Nigeria