 The Confederations Cup started life as the King Fahd Cup invitational tournament which pitted hosts and organisers Saudi Arabia against three chosen opponents in 1992 and 1995. It was in 1997 that it became an official FIFA tournament and was renamed the FIFA Confederation Cup. From 2005, the scheduling of this previously biannual competition was changed to see it played it played once every four years and staged the year before the FIFA World Cup in the Host country.
Germany have only played in two Confederations Cups, despite being eligible for four. For the 2005 tournament, with Brazil the holders of both the Copa America and the FIFA World Cup, Argentina filled the extra slot, as they had finished runners-up in the Copa America. Curiously despite its Champions of Champions' nickname, the winner of the FIFA Confederations Cup has never gone onto to win the FIFA World Cup the following year.
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 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 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Turkey, the third-placed team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
| Previous hosts and winners of the Cup |
| Year |
Host |
Champion |
| 1997 |
Saudi Arabia |
Brazil |
| 1999 |
Mexico |
Mexico |
| 2001 |
South Korea and Japan |
France |
| 2003 |
France |
France |
| 2005 |
Germany |
Brazil |
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