What Is Finalissima? CONMEBOL And UEFA's Cup Of Champions Explained

The third edition of the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions is upon us as Argentina take on Italy at London's Wembley Stadium this Wednesday (June 1).

A one-off match will see the champions of South America take on the winners of the most recent European Championship.

The event is co-organized by CONMEBOL and UEFA, the two continental soccer federations, and it has recently been rebranded "Finalissima" - which is Italian for "grand final".

Lionel Messi pictured warming up ahead of Finalissima 2022 between Argentina and Italy at Wembley

IMAGO/NurPhoto/Jose Breton

Competition History

It began in 1985 as the European/South American Nations Cup, although it was widely referred to as the Artemio Franchi Cup - named after the former UEFA president who died in 1983.

Euro 1984 winners France and 1983 Copa America champions Uruguay contested the first edition. France won 2-0 in Paris to become inaugural champions.

The plan was for the competition to take place every four years, but Euro 1988 winners Holland and 1987 Copa America champions Uruguay could not agree on a date so it did not take place in in 1989.

Four years later in 1993, 1991 Copa America winners Argentina beat Denmark - eight months on from their triumph at Euro 1992 - in a penalty shootout in Mar del Plata.

The Artemio Franchi Cup was discontinued after the second edition.

Why Europe Vs South America?

All 21 World Cup champions to date have come from either Europe (12) or South America (nine).

So while Finalissima is not officially a match between international soccer's two best teams, there is an argument to suggest it could be.

What Is The Prize?

The Finalissima trophy will be award to the team that wins at Wembley.

It is the same trophy lifted by France back in 1985, although it sits on a new base.