The 2021 FIFA Club World Cup final was the final match of the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, an international club football tournament hosted by United Arab Emirates. It was the 18th final of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised tournament between the club champions from each of the six continental confederations, as well as the host nation's league champions.
The final was contested by English club Chelsea, representing UEFA as the reigning champions of the UEFA Champions League, and Brazilian club Palmeiras, representing CONMEBOL as the reigning champions of the Copa Libertadores.
The match was played at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on 12 February 2022. The tournament was originally planned to take place in late 2021 in Japan, but was moved to February 2022 in the United Arab Emirates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chelsea won the match 2–1 after extra time for their first FIFA Club World Cup title.
Teams In the following table, the finals until 2005 were in the FIFA Club World Championship era, and since 2006 in the FIFA Club World Cup era.
TeamConfederationQualification for tournamentPrevious club world championship finals(bold indicates winners) ChelseaUEFAWinners of the 2020–21 UEFA Champions LeagueFCWC: 1 (2012) PalmeirasCONMEBOLWinners of the 2021 Copa LibertadoresIC: 1 (1999)
Note: On 27 October 2017, FIFA officially recognised all the champions of the Intercontinental Cup as club world champions, in equal status to the FIFA Club World Cup. IC: Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004) FCWC: FIFA Club World Cup finals (2000, 2005–present)
Background Chelsea reached their second FIFA Club World Cup Final in two appearances, having done so previously in 2012, which they lost to Corinthians. Chelsea were looking to win their second title of the season, after the 2021 UEFA Super Cup.
Palmeiras were competing in the FIFA Club World Cup for the second consecutive time, having finished fourth in 2020. They reached the final for the first time after defeating Al Ahly, who had previously defeated them in the third place playoff in 2020.
This was the fourth FIFA Club World Cup Final to be played between English and Brazilian clubs, after 2005, 2012 and 2019, with only the latter being won by the English club.
Route to the final ChelseaTeam PalmeirasOpponentResult2021 FIFA Club World CupOpponentResult Al Hilal1–0Semi-finals Al Ahly2–0
Chelsea Chelsea qualified for the tournament as the champions of the UEFA Champions League, having defeated fellow English club Manchester City in the final. Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, two of their Premier League fixtures were rescheduled.
As European champions, Chelsea received a bye to the semi-finals, where they faced Asian champions Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia. The Blues won the match 1–0; Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal of the game in the 32nd minute.
Palmeiras Palmeiras entered the tournament as the winners of the Copa Libertadores, defeating another Brazilian club Flamengo after extra time in the final, which took place a few days before the draw for the Club World Cup.
Palmeiras too entered the Club World Cup in the semi-finals stage, where they played African champions Al Ahly of Egypt. Palmeiras won the match 2–0 with goals from Raphael Veiga and Dudu, their first goals in the Club World Cup.
Match
Details
GK 16 Édouard MendyCB 4 Andreas Christensen CB 6 Thiago SilvaCB 2 Antonio RüdigerRM 28 César Azpilicueta (c)CM 7 N'Golo KantéCM 8 Mateo Kovačić LM 20 Callum Hudson-Odoi RF 19 Mason Mount CF 9 Romelu Lukaku LF 29 Kai Havertz Substitutes:GK 1 Kepa ArrizabalagaGK 13 Marcus BettinelliDF 3 Marcos AlonsoDF 14 Trevoh ChalobahDF 31 Malang Sarr MF 5 JorginhoMF 17 Saúl MF 18 Ross BarkleyMF 22 Hakim Ziyech MF 23 KenedyFW 10 Christian Pulisic FW 11 Timo Werner Manager: Thomas Tuchel GK 21 WevertonRB 2 Marcos Rocha CB 15 Gustavo Gómez (c)CB 13 Luan LB 22 Joaquín PiquerezCM 28 DaniloCM 8 Zé Rafael RW 7 Dudu AM 23 Raphael Veiga LW 14 Gustavo ScarpaCF 10 Rony Substitutes:GK 31 MateusGK 42 Marcelo LombaDF 4 Benjamín KuscevicDF 6 JorgeDF 12 MaykeDF 26 Murilo CerqueiraMF 20 Eduard Atuesta MF 30 Jailson FW 11 Wesley FW 16 Deyverson FW 19 Breno LopesFW 29 Rafael Navarro Manager: Abel Ferreira
Man of the Match: Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea)
Assistant referees: Anton Shchetinin (Australia) Ashley Beecham (Australia) Fourth official: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria) Reserve assistant referee: Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Video assistant referee: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) Assistant video assistant referees: Nicolás Gallo (Colombia) Mokrane Gourari (Algeria) Ammar Al-Jeneibi (United Arab Emirates)Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Maximum of twelve named substitutes. Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time.
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