FIFA reform causes a stir: FC Bayern officially loses World Cup title | OneFootball

FC Bayern officially loses two world championship titles – a FIFA decision with far-reaching consequences. The reform of the Club World Cup means that previous titles will be re-evaluated. Munich are also affected

FC Bayern can no longer officially call themselves Club World Champions in future due to a fundamental reform of the FIFA Club World Cup, which has far-reaching consequences for all previous title holders – including the German record champions

With the introduction of the new FIFA Club World Cup in XXL format from 2025, the world governing body has made a historic change. In future, the competition will only be held every four years and will include 32 teams for the first time. As part of this reorientation, FIFA has reclassified all previous Club World Cup titles won between 2000 and 2023. The designation „Club World Champion“ will be withdrawn retroactively

Bayern titles from 2013 and 2020 officially renamed

This decision is particularly controversial for FC Bayern, who won the FIFA Club World Cup twice – in 2013 and 2020, both a few months after their Champions League triumph. According to FIFA statistics, these successes will no longer be considered world championship titles in future

Instead, all previous winners will now be listed as „FIFA Intercontinental Champions“. In doing so, the world governing body is formally moving the old Club World Cup to a new level and clearly separating it from the new competition, which was first played in 2025. Chelsea FC is the first official winner of this new Club World Cup and therefore, from FIFA’s perspective, the first „real“ Club World Cup champion of the new era

With this renaming, FIFA wants to make it clear that the new Club World Cup is not seen as a further development, but as a completely new competition. In order to nevertheless maintain an annual international club title, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup was introduced at the same time. This competition effectively replaces the old Club World Cup on an annual basis

The winners of the six most important continental competitions take part in the Intercontinental Cup – including the UEFA Champions League, the Copa Libertadores and the Champions Leagues of the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and OFC. Paris Saint-Germain won this title in 2025 and was therefore no longer awarded the title of world champion, but of intercontinental champion

The renaming is therefore less motivated by sporting considerations than a strategic decision by FIFA to clearly define and enhance the status of the new tournament

What does this mean for FC Bayern’s history?

Formally, FC Bayern will lose two World Cup titles in the official FIFA count, but the Munich club will continue to list their successes as „FIFA Club World Cup Winners“ on their own club website

However, the World Cup triumphs of 1976 and 2001 remain unaffected. The World Cup was an independent competition between the Champions League and Copa Libertadores winners. However, in 2017 FIFA also retroactively awarded these winners the title of „Club World Champion“ – a decision that is at least called into question by the current reform

In addition to FC Bayern, almost all international heavyweights will be affected by the revocation: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Liverpool FC, Manchester City and many others will lose their previous world champion status. In total, all Club World Cup winners between 2000 and 2023 will be affected

So far, neither FC Bayern nor other top clubs have publicly criticized the decision, but one thing is clear: the reform is causing discussions – not only about titles, but also about the sovereignty of interpretation in international club soccer.