UEFA, the European Football Confederation, and CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation, organised the CONMEBOL – UEFA Cup of Champions. A one match final between the European Champions: Italy, winners of the UEFA European Football Championships - EURO 2020 (played in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic) and the South American Champions: Argentina, winners of the Copa América - 2021. The competition takes place every four years in view of the fact that each continental competition is organised every four years.
This will be the 3rd edition of the competition, however there was a break of 29 years between the 2nd and 3rd editions. The first two editions, known at the time as 'European / South American Nations Cup' were not officially recognised by FIFA and the competition was not totally controlled by UEFA and CONMEBOL, in fact the 1989 edition was never played since the two contenders, Netherlands and Uruguay, could not agree on a date for the match. The 1st edition, in 1985 was played in France, between France and Uruguay and the 2nd edition, in 1993 was played in Argentina between Argentina and Denmark, won by France and Argentina respectively.
The competition stopped being organised in view of the Intercontinental Championship - King Fahd Trophy (1992 - 1995), a similar competition but with more participants and eventually the FIFA Confederations Cup (1997 - 2017), organised by FIFA between all continental champions. However, in 2019 FIFA abolished the competition and this prompted UEFA and CONMEBOL to restart the competition, this time as 'CONMEBOL – UEFA Cup of Champions'.
The trophy was named in 1985 the 'Artemio Franch Cup' after the former president of UEFA (1972 - 1983) who died in a road accident in 1983. Franchi was also FIFA Vice-President (1974 - 1983) and President of the Italian Football Federation - FIGC, twice (1967 - 1976 and 1978 - 1980).
The CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Trophy, known as the Artemio Franchi Cup, is inspired from the original cup, manufactured and used in the first edition, in 1985, but with minor changes, especially in the base, to make it more in line with contemporary design. The trophy weights 8.5kg and is 45cm high. It is made of brass and coated in silver plating, with the base in dark grey nickel-plated finish. The trophy design was revamped by Italian Valentina Losa, owner of the trophies' manufacturer company, G.D.E. Bertoni.
The Poster of the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions of 2022, known as Finalissima 2022, branded with the colours of the finalists, Italy (European Champions) and Argentina (South American Champions).
London England
