Egypt News

The tournament was originally organised by and held in Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup (or Intercontinental Championship), contested in 1992 and 1995 by the Saudi national side and some continental champions

In 1997, FIFA took over the organization of the tournament, named it the FIFA Confederations Cup and staged the competition every two years.

From 2005, the Confederations Cup is to be held once in every four years, one year prior to each World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup.

It is now considered a dress-rehearsal for the World Cup it precedes; it uses around half of the stadia intended for use at the following year's World Cup and gives the host nation, who qualify for that tournament automatically, a vital taste of competitive football during two years of friendlies.

At the same time, participation was made optional for the South American and European champions.It is unclear how the tournament will change should those nations elect not to participate.

When the World champion is also winner of its confederation championship, then the World Cup runner-up also enters the Confederations Cup, ensuring eight teams for the tournament.

In the 2005 tournament, however, Brazil, as World champion, and World Cup runner-up Germany, as host, had qualified. When Brazil also won the Copa América, the vacant eighth spot was awarded to Argentina, runner-up in the Copa América.

On three previous occasions teams have declined to participate in the tournament. The UEFA Euro 1996 winner Germany declined to participate in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner-up in that tournament.

France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined to participate in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up (and also 1997 Copa America champion).

Germany, the runner-up in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, declined to take part in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Turkey, the third-placed team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The first forerunner of the Confederations Cup was the Mundialito, or Copa D'Oro. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested in 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the Copa America and European Football Championships, is considered a precursor to the Confederations Cup and was effectively replaced by the tournament in the same way that the Intercontinental Cup club tournament preceded the FIFA Club World Cup.

EGYPT NEWS