History of the FIFA Confederations Cup

Although the FIFA Confederations Cup was not thedecision to organize the event. For the 2001 event,
first instance that confederations organizedFIFA decided to have South Korea and Japan, hosts
inter-continental matches, it is the most prominentof the 2002 World Cup, host the event as a dress
intercontinental team tournament for national teams.rehearsal for the World Cup. France defeated Japan
Officially, the Confederations Cup commenced in 1997,1-0 in the final to claim their first Confederations Cup
although its concept has deeper roots in history. Longtitle and become the second team-after Brazil-to hold
before FIFA adopted the event, intercontinental fixturesthe World Cup, Confederations Cup and confederation
were part of the international roster.championship simultaneously.
== Precursors to the Confederations Cup ==The 2003 edition, hosted and won by holders France,
The Artemio Franchi Trophy, Afro-Asian Cup and theis best remembered for the tragic on-field death of
King Fahd Cup were the precursors to the FIFACameroon and Manchester City midfielder Marc Vivien
Confederations Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy wasFoe. This was a high-profile incident because of the
a competition that pitted the champions of theprofile of the player and the profile of the
strongest confederations in world soccer-Europeevent-especially as it was in the semi-final match
(UEFA) and South America (CONMEBOL)-againstagainst Columbia. This created a lot of controversy
each other. The champions of Africa (CAF) and Asiaover the Confederations Cup, with some arguing that it
(AFC) squared off in the Afro-Asian Cup.was an unnecessary addition to the soccer calendar.
Only the King Fahd Cup resembled the current FIFA== Quadrennial event and World Cup dress rehearsal
tournament, since it was not a bilateral intercontinental==
championship. The first King Fahd Cup in 1992-won byAfter 2003, FIFA added context to the Confederations
Argentina-comprised the USA (CONCACAF),Cup by making it a World Cup dress rehearsal and
Argentina (CONMEBOL), Ivory Coast (CAF) and Saudiquadrennial event, like the FIFA World Cup. The 2005
Arabia (AFC). In 1995, Saudi Arabia hosted the secondedition was held primarily as a test run for hosts
edition of the King Fahd Cup-expanded to six teams,Germany, who hosted the 2006 World Cup the
with a round robin two-group stage. Confederationfollowing year. The current trend is that the World Cup
champions Japan, Denmark, Mexico, Argentina andhost would host the Confederations Cup and the
Nigeria participated, along with hosts Saudi Arabia.participating teams are the six confederation
Denmark won that tournament, defeating Argentina inchampions, previous World Cup winner and the hosts.
the final.If the World Cup winner is also a confederation
== From King Fahd to FIFA-the inauguralchampion, the World Cup runner-up participates. The
Confederations Cup ==2009 edition was a successful event, hosted by South
In 1997, FIFA adopted the concept of the King FahdAfrica. Although teams like New Zealand and Iraq
Cup and hosted the first FIFA Confederations Cup inweakened the tournament, it ended with a necessary
Saudi Arabia. The tournament had the convoluted titlefillip as Brazil came from two goals down to beat the
"FIFA/Confederations Cup for the King Fahd Trophy"U.S.A. 2-0.
and included eight teams, as FIFA had all six== Past winners ==
confederation representatives included. In that1997: Brazil; Runner-up: Australia
tournament, eight teams played-the six confederation1999: Mexico; Runner-up: Brazil
champions (U.A.E., Uruguay, Australia, Czech Republic2001: France; Runner-up: Japan
(owing to the non-participation of Germany), Mexico,2003: France; Runner-up: Cameroon
South Africa, along with the 1994 World Cup2005: Brazil; Runner-up: Argentina
champions and tournament hosts Saudi Arabia. Brazil2009: Brazil; Runner-up: U.S.A.
won the inaugural tournament, whipping Australia 6-0 in== Teams that participated (up to 2009) ==
the final.AFC: Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Korea Republic, United
== Format ==Arab Emirates
Unlike the FIFA World Club Championship, theCAF: Cameroon, Egypt, South Africa, Ivory Coast,
Confederations Cup is not a knockout tournament. TheTunisia, Nigeria
inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup had the sameCONMEBOL: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay,
format used in later editions. The eight teams are splitColombia
into two groups of four. The winners and runners-upCONCACAF: United States, Mexico, Canada
from the group stage, which is played on a round robinOFC: Australia, New Zealand
basis, qualify for the semi-finals. The semi-finals pit theUEFA: France, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark,
group winners against the runners-up of the otherGreece, Italy, Spain, Turkey
group. The winners of the semi-finals contest the final,With the change from a biannual to quadrennial
while the losers participate in a third-place playoff.tournament, and the opportunity for teams to
== Biennial tournament ==acclimatise in the country that hosts the World Cup,
Initially, FIFA decided to host the Confederations Cupthe profile of the FIFA Confederations Cup has risen
on a biennial basis. Mexico hosted and won the 1999sharply since inception. From an experimental
edition, which ended with a pulsating 4-3 win fortournament that was cryptic and misunderstood, it has
Mexico over Brazil at a packed Estadio Azteca. Thebecome an important and recognized part of the
success of that tournament helped to validate FIFA'ssoccer calendar.