Chelsea clinch historic FIFA Club World Cup title with commanding win over PSG

Chelsea FC were crowned champions of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday after a dominant 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final, held at a sold-out MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The English side delivered a clinical first-half performance, led by a standout display from Cole Palmer, who scored twice and assisted the third goal. 

João Pedro added to Chelsea’s tally just before halftime, sealing the club’s first title under manager Enzo Maresca and marking a major triumph in the inaugural 32-team edition of the restructured tournament.

“We work every day to improve ourselves… it’s been a fantastic season,” said Maresca post-match.

Palmer, who was named Player of the Tournament, later lifted the Golden Ball after an exceptional campaign that saw him emerge as one of Chelsea’s central creative forces.

Tensions flared in the final minutes, with PSG’s João Neves sent off for a dangerous challenge, followed by a heated exchange during the medal ceremony in which PSG coach Luis Enrique appeared to push João Pedro. Enrique later apologized, calling the incident “completely avoidable.”

Adding to the spectacle, U.S. President Donald Trump attended the final and presented the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James, drawing both cheers and boos from the crowd on the anniversary of the 2022 assassination attempt against him.

The 2025 edition marked a turning point in the history of the FIFA Club World Cup, transitioning from a 7-team invitational format to a World Cup-style tournament featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs. Hosted in the United States for the first time, the month-long event brought together continental champions and high-ranking clubs from all six FIFA confederations.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament as a breakthrough moment for global club football.

“This competition will become just as important—or even more important—than the Champions League,” Infantino said.

Chelsea qualified as one of UEFA’s top-ranked clubs based on their European performance, while PSG entered the tournament as runners-up in Ligue 1 and high finishers in UEFA’s coefficient rankings.

Other prominent participants included Real Madrid, Flamengo, Al Ahly, Club León, Wydad Casablanca, and Seattle Sounders. Group-stage and knockout matches were played across Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York, drawing large crowds and generating strong global broadcast numbers.

Looking Ahead

Chelsea’s triumph reaffirms their place among world football’s elite and marks their second Club World Cup title—the first coming in 2021. For PSG, the defeat represents another missed opportunity to claim their first major global title despite heavy investment in recent years.

The next edition of the expanded Club World Cup is scheduled for 2029, with FIFA expected to review scheduling, prize money, and player workload in light of feedback from clubs and federations.