Chelsea beat European Champions PSG to win historic FIFA Club World Cup

East Rutherford, USA: English Premier League side Chelsea FC defeated European champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 on Sunday night to win the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup in a dominant performance that reasserted English football’s global supremacy.

Played before a record crowd of 81,118 fans at MetLife Stadium in the United States, the final saw Cole Palmer deliver a match-winning masterclass, scoring twice and assisting the third as Chelsea brushed aside the French giants to lift their second Club World Cup title.

The English forward struck in the 22nd and 30th minutes, punishing PSG’s sluggish defending with clinical left-footed finishes, before teeing up João Pedro in the 43rd minute for a composed chip to seal the rout before halftime.

Despite PSG dominating possession with 66%, Luis Enrique’s side were utterly outclassed on the counter and rarely threatened Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, who kept a clean sheet and was later named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.

Tempers flared late in the match when PSG’s João Neves was sent off for violent conduct after pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair. Post-match, PSG boss Luis Enrique sparked further controversy when he shoved Chelsea’s João Pedro during an altercation, though he later claimed he was trying to defuse tensions.

Historic Achievement for Chelsea

The victory cemented Chelsea’s place in history as the first club to win the new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup format, which FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed as a success, drawing over 2.3 million fans across 63 matches and generating an estimated $2 billion in revenue.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, praised his players’ character and maturity, highlighting Palmer’s standout performance as evidence of Chelsea’s growing confidence under his leadership.

Palmer, who was named Michelob Ultra Player of the Match, dismissed critics of Chelsea’s turbulent domestic form, stating: “Everyone has talked a lot of rubbish about us all season, but I feel like we’re going in the right direction.”