It pits the winners of the Champions League - Paris Saint-Germain - against the team that triumphed in the Copa Libertadores - Flamengo.
Any value left in the competition?
With a drastically revamped Club World Cup now taking centre stage, and given that it supposedly pits the best teams from around the world against each other, there's a reasonably cogent argument that there's little value left in continuing with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
The governing body will likely argue that this new version of the tournament, which first took place in Qatar a year ago, shouldn't be confused with the previous iteration, simply called 'Intercontinental Cup,' and which was, effectively, the forerunner to the current Club World Cup.
Indeed, the current version still carries an honorary 'world champions' tag along with it for the victors, but the fact is that the newly-expanded CWC will now be seen as far more prestigious to win.
It's more than a little confusing, and a round trip of thousands of miles is unlikely to do either team any favours at this point in the 2025/26 campaign.
First-ever competitive meeting between PSG and Flamengo
In any event, Wednesday's game will see a first-ever competitive meeting between these two sides.
They have met three times before in friendlies, with the Brazilians winning 2–0 in Paris in 1975, and the Parisians earning a 3-1 victory in their next meeting in 1979.
In 1991, the teams drew 1–1 at the Parc des Princes, with Flamengo going on to win 3–1 on penalties.
Luis Enrique's side goes into the match having lost two of their last eight matches, but having scored 20 goals during that period. Filipe Luis' team, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions.
Both teams have had vastly different paths to this match, too.
As holders of the UCL, PSG automatically get a bye to the showpiece at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, a venue that holds 45,032 spectators and hosted seven matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Flamengo had to battle it out after their Libertadores triumph in the FIFA Challenger Cup - yes, another competition - and overcome both Cruz Azul (2-1) and Pyramids AFC (2-0), before being able to book their place in the final.
Flamengo's 77th match of the season
In fact, since their win over Palmeiras on November 29, o Fla have had to play two Brazilian Serie A games, as well as the two FIFA Challenger Cup matches, meaning that when they face PSG, it will be Flamengo's fifth game in just 18 days - and 77th in their season overall (compared to just 22 for PSG since their 2025/26 campaign began in August).
Hardly the best preparation for such a supposedly glamorous event.
That said, a vintage season in which they also won the Serie A title (only the fourth time in history a Brazilian side has done the league/Libertadores double), should stand them in good stead.
PSG missing key men
Against Metz on Saturday, a Ligue 1 fixture that PSG won 3-2 thanks to goals from Goncalo Ramos, Quentin Ndjantou and Desire Doue, Luis Enrique had the luxury of resting Joao Neves, Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and others.
Though the French giants will be without captain Marquinhos for this fixture, along with Achraf Hakimi, the aforementioned trio will be brought straight back into the starting XI as the squad looks to make more history in 2025.
Star man and Ballon d'Or winner, Ousmane Dembele, has been struggling with illness, and it's touch-and-go as to whether he starts the game or plays any part in it at all.
Flamengo are only missing Allan in an otherwise fit and healthy squad, and they'll surely look to the experience of Jorginho, the goalscoring prowess of Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Pedro, and the utilisation of the width of the pitch to stop PSG from causing problems down the flanks.
The Brazilians do have the weight of history to contend with in the competition, however, because it's been 13 years since a South American club last won it, in either variant, when Corinthians defeated Chelsea in 2012.
Not since 1981 have o Fla won this title themselves, when they overcame a Liverpool side that was in their pomp.
Santos (1962 and 1963), Gremio (1983), Sao Paulo (1992, 1993 and 2005), Internacional (2006) and Corinthians (2000 and 2012), are the only other Brazilian clubs to have earned the accolade, so it's abundantly clear how important a win would be not only for Filipe Luis and Co., but for Brazilian football in general.
Follow the final with Flashscore here.
