The CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions is a one-off match played between the winners of the Copa America and the UEFA European Championship. The most recent edition was played at Wembley in June 2022, between Argentina and Italy, and Argentina won it 3-0. A fourth edition was arranged for March 2026 and then called off.
Previously known as the European/South American Nations Cup, the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions is the national team equivalent of the Intercontinental Cup where club champions of Europe and South America used to play for the title.
The first-ever edition of the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions was played in 1985 and only three editions have been played to date, in 1985, 1993 and 2022. Two more were scheduled and never took place, in 1989 and in 2026. The first edition saw France beat Uruguay 2-0 in 1985.
Argentina are currently the most successful side in the competition, having won the honour twice. In 1993, the team defeated Denmark 5-4 on penalties to get their hands on the trophy. In 2022, they beat Italy 3-0.
Brief history of CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions
The competition was formed in 1985 and was then known as the European/South American Nations Cup. It was eventually referred to as the Artemio Franchi Cup, named after former UEFA president Artemio Franchi who had passed away in 1983.
The initial plan was to conduct the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions every four years with the venue shifting between Europe and South America after each edition.
The first edition, between France and Uruguay, was played at the iconic Parc des Princes in Paris and the home team was dominant right away, opening the scoring in only the fourth minute. Forward Jose Toure got on the scoresheet minutes before the hour mark and France completed an easy win.
After the inaugural edition, the Netherlands (winners of UEFA Euro 1988) and Uruguay (winners of 1987 Copa America) failed to settle on a common date and hence it was postponed.
In 1993, Argentina hosted the competition at Estadio Jose Maria Minella against Denmark and the tournament was discontinued from there on.
Led by their maverick captain, Diego Maradona, Argentina found it difficult to breach Denmark’s steady defence in the 1993 final and hence, the match headed into penalties. Argentina scored four on the trot while Denmark missed two of their six spot-kicks, as the former came out victorious.
In 2020, UEFA and CONMEBOL once again rekindled the tournament and only a year later, it was confirmed that the respective winners would take on each other for the first time since the turn of the century.
This time around, the competition was rebranded as the Finalissima which is Italian for ‘grand final’.
Why there has been no Finalissima since 2022
A fourth edition was due to bring together Spain, winners of UEFA Euro 2024, and Argentina, winners of the 2024 Copa America — a third straight appearance for Argentina. It was first expected in 2025, pushed back by fixture congestion, confirmed in May 2025 and then given a date and a venue: 27 March 2026 at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the ground where Argentina had won the 2022 World Cup.
It was never played. Conflict in the Gulf in early 2026 disrupted travel across the region and UEFA confirmed the match could not go ahead in Qatar on that date. The two federations then could not agree on anywhere else — Spain pushed for Madrid, Argentina asked to play it after the World Cup, and neither side had dates the other could take — so the edition was cancelled outright rather than moved.
The two met anyway, on a bigger stage. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on 19 July 2026. No date has been set for another Finalissima.
The Euro 2020 winners made a promising start, testing the Argentina keeper at regular intervals. A Lionel Messi magic in the 28th minute, however, allowed Argentina to go ahead via Lautaro Martinez. The likes of Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala did the rest as the South Americans completed a 3-0 rout.
CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions winners list
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue |
| 1985 | France | 2-0 | Uruguay | Parc des Princes, Paris |
| 1989 | Not played | — | Netherlands v Uruguay | No date agreed between the two sides |
| 1993 | Argentina | 1-1 5-4 on penalties |
Denmark | Estadio Jose Maria Minella, Mar del Plata |
| 2022 | Argentina | 3-0 | Italy | Wembley Stadium, London |
| 2026 | Cancelled | — | Spain v Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Qatar — called off, no replacement venue agreed |
Featured photo: AFP / Glyn Kirk