2000 FIFA Club World Championship

Also known as FIFA Club World Championship 2000

inaugural FIFA Club World Cup

Key facts

Host country: Brazil
Dates: 5–14 January
Teams: 8 (from 6 confederations)
Venue: 2 (in 2 host cities)
Champions: Corinthians (1st title)
Runners up: Vasco da Gama
Third place: Necaxa
Fourth place: Real Madrid
Goals scored: 43 (3.07 per match)
Attendance: 514,000 (36,714 per match)
Top scorer s: Romário (Vasco da Gama), Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid), 3 goals each
Best player: Edílson (Corinthians)
Best goalkeeper

~6 min read

Article

The 2000 FIFA Club World Championship was the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, the world club championship for men's club association football teams. It took place in Brazil from 5 to 14 January 2000. FIFA as football's international governing body selected Brazil as the host nation on 8 June 1999 as the bid was found to be the strongest among four candidates. The draw was made at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro on 14 October 1999. All matches were played in either Rio de Janeiro's Estádio do Maracanã or São Paulo's Estádio do Morumbi.

Eight teams, two from South America, two from Europe and one each from North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania entered the tournament. The first Club World Cup match took place in São Paulo and saw Spanish club Real Madrid beat Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr 3–1; Real Madrid's Nicolas Anelka scored the first goal in Club World Cup history in the 21st minute. Later the same day, Corinthians goalkeeper Dida kept the first clean sheet in the tournament as his team beat Moroccan side Raja Casablanca 2–0.