Champions League

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For the historical international club competition, see Champions League (pre-UICA).
IFCF Champions League
IFCF Champions League logo.png
RegionWorldwide
Current championsKirkenes FC logo.png Kirkenes FC (KSK) (1st title)
Most championshipsDirectus logo.png Directus (EUR)
Cazadores Cathair logo.png Cazadores Cathair (AUD)
Fontvielle Impact logo.svg Fontvielle Impact (VLD)
(2 titles each)

The IFCF Champions League is the world championship for club football organized by the International Federation of Club Football. The champion of each participating national association, plus additional teams from the highest-ranked associations in the IFCF ranking, may enter the competition each season.

It is the successor competition to the UICA Champions’ Cup, adopting its competition rules and coefficient ranking system. The first edition of the IFCF Champions League was held in what would have been UICA's 75th edition. Due to uncertainty over the fate of UICA and delays in organizing the 74th Champions' Cup, ad-hoc international tournaments like the Dwile Invitational took the place of the 74th UICA season.

Format

The tournament consists of a knockout qualifying phase leading to a 32-team group stage, followed by a 16-team knockout phase. Teams eliminated prior to the group stage, and the third-placed teams from the group stage, enter the Challengers Cup. Knockout ties are played in two matches with each team at home for one match, with the result determined by the aggregate score. Ties in aggregate are broken by which team scored more goals as the away team, by extra time, and finally by penalty shootout if there is still no winner. The exception is the final, which is played as a single match at a neutral venue chosen prior to the start of the tournament.

Qualifying phase

The qualifying phase consists of a preliminary round if necessary, three qualifying rounds, and a playoff round, with winners in the playoff round advancing to the group stage. Teams are granted byes according to coefficient ranking among the entered teams, hence higher-ranked teams will generally have to play fewer rounds. In addition, teams which enter as their association's champion play in a separate Champions Path from teams that qualified through league position who play in the League Path. As only clubs from the top 32 associations would enter the League Path, it is common to see unusually high-profile matches at this stage. Losing teams in the qualifying phase enter the subsequent round of the Challengers Cup.

The current naming scheme was adopted from the 10th cycle; prior to this "qualifying" rounds were known as preliminary rounds with the final two rounds called the qualifying round and playoff round respectively.

Group stage and knockout phase

The 32 teams entering the group stage are draw into groups of four. The defending champions of the Champions League and Challengers Cup, the league champions of the four top-ranked associations, and the runners-up of the three top-ranked associations, qualify automatically for the group stage. They are joined by the winners of the play-off round. The group stage is a round-robin where each team plays the other teams in their group once at home and once away.

The top two teams of each group enter the knockout phase. For the Round of 16, group winners are drawn to play against runners-up, and teams representing the same association or which were in the same group cannot play against each other. From the quarter-finals onwards, these provisions no longer apply. Third-place teams enter the Challengers Cup Round of 32.

Champions League finals

Edition Winners Score Runners-up Venue
1 1830 Cathair FC logo.png
1830 Cathair (AUD)
0–0 aet
4–2 pen
Unknown club logo.svg
Northern Stallions (BRE)
Farnham Arena
Sabrefell, Nephara
2 Northern Union logo.png
Northern Union (BRE)
2–1 Soldarian FC logo.png
Soldarian FC (VAL)
Stade Outineau
Outineau, Kelssek
3 Directus logo.png
Directus (EUR)
2–1 aet 1830 Cathair FC logo.png
1830 Cathair (AUD)
The 66 Stadium
Cathair, Audioslavia
4 Directus logo.png
Directus (EUR)
2–1 Shamrock Cathair logo.png
Shamrock Cathair (AUD)
Stadium of the Restoration
Busukuma, Banija
5 Raynor City United logo.png
Raynor City United (VAL)
1–0 Northern Union logo.png
Northern Union (BRE)
Stade de la République
Romainbourg, Omerica
6 Kitara AA logo.png
Kitara AA (BNJ)
1–1 aet
3–2 pen
AC Izotz Zubia logo.png
AC Izotz Zubia (AUD)
Stadium of the Two Sisters
Canterlot, Equestria
7 Cazadores Cathair logo.png
Cazadores Cathair (AUD)
3–2 Unknown club logo.svg
AFC Treason (NPH)
Nationalstadion Carl Gustaf Bjurman
Sjoedrhavn, Savojarna
8 Cazadores Cathair logo.png
Cazadores Cathair (AUD)
5–1 CA Paulinthal logo.png
CA Paulinthal (PAS)
Stadii Di Bradini
Jhanna, Starblaydia
9 Unknown club logo.svg
Namiri Forest (ZWZ)
2–1 Unknown club logo.svg
KT Itzalovalle (AUD)
Sasky Rising Memorial Stadium
Brigham, Eura
10 Fontvielle Impact logo.svg
Fontvielle Impact (VLD)
1–0 aet Latrobe Athletic logo.png
Latrobe Athletic (KSK)
Radlov Arena
Brantisvogan, SRS
11 Shearwater FC logo.png
Shearwater (KSK)
3–1 aet Fontvielle Impact logo.svg
Fontvielle Impact (VLD)
The Battleground
Raynor City, Valanora
12 Unknown club logo.svg
CASK Thorsborg (SVJ)
2–2 aet
6–5 pen
Chromatik logo.png
Chromatik (CMT)
Tivali Ring Stadium
Alikki-Corra, Vilita
13 Fontvielle Impact logo.svg
Fontvielle Impact (VLD)
3–1 1923 Esca logo.png
1923 Esca (MYT)
The Reneegrad
Reneegrad, Quebec and Shingoryeo
14 Sabrefell Athletic logo.png
Sabrefell Athletic (NPH)
3–1 Chromatik logo.png
Chromatik (CMT)
Libira National Stadium
Fiskadaha, Poafmersia
15 Unknown club logo.svg
Mipojoseon (QUE)
3–1 Sabrefell Athletic logo.png
Sabrefell Athletic (NPH)
BBP National Stadium
Belle Haven, Baker Park
16 Kirkenes FC logo.png
Kirkenes FC (KSK)
1–1 aet
3–1 pen
Alnio logo.png
Alnio (CMT)
Stadium Konueira
Burnaby, Kelssek

Records and statistics

Clubs

Performances in the UICA Champions' Cup and IFCF Champions League by club
Club Title(s) Runners-
up
Seasons won Seasons runner-up
Yuba United logo.svg Yuba United (COM) 6 6 UICA: 1, 11, 18, 20, 31, 39 UICA: 5, 6, 17, 22, 44, 49
Raynor City United logo.png Raynor City United (VAL) 6 4 UICA: 16, 17, 34, 65, 70; IFCF: 5 UICA: 2, 22, 45, 51
Fontvielle Impact logo.svg Fontvielle Impact (VLD) 4 3 UICA: 37, 40; IFCF: 10, 13 UICA: 36, 42; IFCF: 11
Unknown club logo.svg Albrecht FC (CAM) 4 1 UICA: 12, 14, 21, 24 UICA: 4
Directus logo.png Directus (EUR) 3 0 UICA: 62; IFCF: 3, 4
Sonoma Center Panthers logo.svg Sonoma Center Panthers (COM) 2 2 UICA: 27, 41 UICA: 32, 37
Unknown club logo.svg Cafundó do Juta (CAF) 2 2 UICA: 23, 29 UICA: 26, 27
1830 Cathair FC logo.png 1830 Cathair (AUD) 2 1 UICA: 59; IFCF: 1 IFCF: 3
Petardos SA logo.png Petardos S/A (CAF) 2 1 UICA: 2, 5 UICA: 8
SK Franz Josef City logo.png SK Franz Josef City (PIS) 2 1 UICA: 50, 51 UICA: 40
Unknown club logo.svg Ranca Toco (CAF) 2 1 UICA: 8, 32 UICA: 10
Soldarian FC logo.png Soldarian FC (VAL) 2 1 UICA: 7, 10 IFCF: 2
1896 Ebor logo.png 1896 Ebor (MYT) 2 0 UICA: 52, 53
Cazadores Cathair logo.png Cazadores Cathair (AUD) 2 0 IFCF: 7, 8

Associations

  IFCF only UICA included
Association Champion Runner-up Champion Runner-up
Flag of Capitalizt SLANI.svg Capitalizt SLANI (COM) 0 0 8 10
Valanora.png Valanora (VAL) 1 1 7 7
Flag of Eura.png Eura (EUR) 2 0 7 2
Flag of Cafundéu.svg Cafundéu (CAF) 0 0 6 7
Flag of Jasĭyun.svg Jasĭyun (JSY) 0 0 5 3
Flag of Candelaria And Marquez.svg Candelaria And Marquez (CAM) 0 0 5 3
Audioslavia.png Audioslavia (AUD) 3 4 5 4
Valladares.png Valladares (VLD) 2 1 6 3
Flag of Septentrionia.png Septentrionia (SPT) 0 0 4 4
Flag of Polar Islandstates.png Polar Islandstates (PIS) 0 0 4 1
Nephara.png Nephara (NPH) 1 2 3 4
Flag of Astograth.png Astograth (ASG) 0 0 2 1
Flag of Kelssek.svg Kelssek (KSK) 2 1 2 1
Flag of Mytanija.png Mytanija (MYT) 0 1 2 1