My Football Facts ⇒ UEFA ⇒ UEFA Club ⇒ Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition that took place between 1955 and 1971. It was the first European club competition, predating the European Cup (now known as the UEFA Champions League) by several years. The tournament was initially open to teams from cities that hosted trade fairs and was created to promote commerce and cultural exchange across Europe. The competition format evolved over time, but it generally involved a knockout tournament with two-legged ties. The teams were often composed of players from different clubs within the same city, and some of the early matches were played during the day to accommodate trade fair schedules.
It should be noted that UEFA does not officially recognize the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as a UEFA competition. The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was eventually replaced by the UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League) in 1971, which had a broader field of entrants and a more standard competition format. Despite not being recognized as an official UEFA competition, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup is still considered an important part of European football history.
Explore the chronological list of Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winners, runners-up, and semi-finalists from 1955-58 to 1970-71, providing insight into the tournament’s historical progression..