How the Club World Ranking is made
Changes to the methodology used to determine the Club World Ranking
The Executive Committee of IFFHS meeting on 6th January 2007 in Salzburg (Austria) decided to make the following changes to the methodology used to determine the Club World Ranking, with effect from January 1st, 2007.
UEFA Champions League: 14 - 7 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
UEFA Europa League: 12 - 6 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
Copa Libertadores: 14 - 7 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
Copa Sudamericana: 12 - 6 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
CAF Champions League: 9 - 4.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
CAF Confederations Cup: 7 - 3.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
AFC Champions League: 9 - 4.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
AFC Cup: 7 - 3.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
CONCACAF Champions League: 9 - 4.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
OFC Champions League: 5 - 2.5 - 0 points for win - draw - defeat
FIFA Club World Cup: 14 - 7 - 0 (finals: 21 - 10,5 - 0) points for win - draw - defeat
Reason:
The widening difference in standard and performance between the two club competitions within each continent, as well as the increasing number of matches played in the less important competition of each continent.
Corrections in the calculations of the Club World Ranking (2006)
When the rules for calculating the Club World Ranking were made in 1990, the national club competition of the national football associations played a greater role for clubs than it does now. In the meantime, however, this national cup competition in many countries has lost much of its former importance, particularly amongst the top clubs. This is also a consequence of the greater number of matches played in the continental cups, as well as the continental Cup Winners' Cups being abolished over the last 15 years. In Brazil, teams who participated in the Copa Libertadores are excluded by the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol from playing in the Copa do Brasil.
As a result of these changes, the old 2:1 ratio of national championship to national cup competition no longer corresponds with the reality. Thus, beginning with the 2006 season respectively 2006/07 season, a ratio of 3:1 will be used for national championship (75%) and national cup competition (25%). Therefore, teams from the strongest leagues (Group 4) will receive 12 points each for the last four rounds, those from the second-strongest leagues 8, those from the third-strongest leagues 5, and those from the weakest leagues (Group 1) 2.5 points. All other details not will be changed.
Furthermore, all play-offs in national championships everywhere will be treated as regular league matches. Latin American clubs will benefit the most from this ruling, which will come into effect beginning with 2006. Ongoing national cup competitions will be treated according to the old rules for the duration of the 2005/06 season.
For reasons of global uniformity and fairness, the Club World Ranking cannot be linked up to individual countries or clubs. Likewise, historical titles cannot be considered, only national and international results from the last 12 months. Due to the high turnover of players, the performance of a given team may vary greatly over one year. The international club competitions must be played under the authority of FIFA or one of their six continental Confederations.
------------
1990:
The Club World Ranking was started monthly since January 1st, 1991 and the information is globally distributed early in the following month. This ranking takes into consideration the results of twelve months of continental and intercontinental competitions, national league matches (including play-offs) and the national cup. In those countries having several national cup competitions, only the one organised by the national federation is included. Since the cup competition systems are diverse at the preliminary stage level, we assign only the points won in eight-finals, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. The points are assigned based upon a rating system of the level of performance of each national league. In the case of matches decided by penalty-kicks, each team receives half of the points in contention.
All national leagues are rated at four levels based upon performance. In this grouping, each country (where the club plays) is assigned a number indicating the performance level of each national league. Clubs in the highest level leagues receive 4 points for each match won, 2 for a draw and 0 for a defeat. Level 2 is assigned 3 pts. (win), 1.5 (draw) and 0 (lost), and so on with the next lower levels. The same system applies for the play-off matches.
In the continental competitions, all clubs receive the same number of points at all stages regardless of the performance level of their leagues. In the case of draws each team receives 50% of the points in dispute and 0 points for a lost match. The points are distributed equally to teams in matches decided by penalty-kicks. All Asia, Africa and CONCACAF continental competitions have the same point-assignment system: 8 points for a win, 4 for a draw; in the preliminary tournament phases for The Caribbean and Oceania zones, only 4 and 2 points are assigned for win and draw. In the South American competitions the clubs receive 12 points for a win, 6 for a draw; and in the European 14 and 7 points, respectively. Competitions between two continents are evaluated depending upon their importance. In the FIFA World Club Cup, the awarding system for wins and draws is determined by averaging the number of points assigned for wins and draws in each of the other continental competitions.
Those competitions not organized by a continental confederation, or any intercontinental events not recognized by FIFA, are not taken into consideration for the Club World Ranking. Any competition cancelled before completion alters the point system. In order to equalise the chances of South American and European clubs we do not consider the result of previous matches already played in said tournament.
The Club World Ranking is a precise classification showing the real level of the clubs free of any subjective influence. It is the result of a profound analysis that allows us to fairly report the level of international performance for each country.
