2018 FIFA Club World Cup final

The 2018 FIFA Club World Cup final was the final match of the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup, an international club association football tournament hosted by the United Arab Emirates. It was the 15th final of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised tournament between the winners of the six continental confederations, as well as the host nation's league champions.

The final was contested between Spanish club and defending champions Real Madrid (who won the last two editions of the competition), representing UEFA as the reigning champions of the UEFA Champions League, and Emirati club Al Ain, representing the host nation as the reigning champions of the UAE Pro-League. The match was played at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on 22 December 2018.

Real Madrid won the final 4–1 for their third consecutive and fourth overall FIFA Club World Cup title, breaking the tie with Barcelona to become the outright record winners of the competition.

In the following table, finals until 2005 were in the FIFA Club World Championship era, since 2006 were in the FIFA Club World Cup era.

Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi was announced as the venue for the final in May 2018, reprising its role as the final venue in 2009, 2010, and 2017. It is the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates and is primarily used by the Emirati national football team. Zayed Sports City Stadium hosted the 1996 Asian Cup final and is planned to host several matches in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. It is also featured on the 200 Dirham banknote. The 43,000-seat stadium opened in 1980 and also hosted matches in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Real Madrid qualified for the Club World Cup as winners of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League by defeating Liverpool in the final. The club won three of the four previous editions of the Club World Cup: in 2014, 2016 and 2017. This was their fifth participation and third consecutive appearance in the tournament, both a record for European teams. The match was their fourth overall final (after 2014, 2016 and 2017), tying the record with Barcelona. The match also was their third consecutive final, extending their record set in the previous edition. The match was the 14th consecutive and overall final featuring a European team (with only the first final in 2000 including no team from Europe), and the 8th overall and 5th consecutive final featuring a Spanish team, all extending the competition records. If Real Madrid were to win, they would become the outright record winners of the Club World Cup with four titles, breaking their tie with Barcelona for the record. A win would also extended the records for most consecutive titles for a team (3), most titles for a confederation (11 for UEFA), most consecutive titles for a confederation (6 for UEFA, breaking the tie set by European teams between 2007 and 2011), most titles for a nation (7 for Spain), and most consecutive titles for a nation (5 for Spain).

Al Ain qualified for their first Club World Cup as winners of the 2017–18 season of the UAE Pro-League, the top-level league in the United Arab Emirates. Al Ain was the first Emirati team to reach the Club World Cup final, as well as the second Asian team (after Kashima Antlers in 2016). The final was also the third final to feature the host representative (after Corinthians in 2000, Raja Casablanca in 2013 and Kashima Antlers in 2016). If Al Ain were to win, they would have become the first team outside of Europe and South America to win the Club World Cup, as well as the second host representative to win the tournament (after Corinthians in 2000).

The final was the second between an Asian and European team, after Real Madrid won against Kashima Antlers in the 2016 final. The final was also the third final between the host representative and a European team, both won by the European team, with Bayern Munich winning against Raja Casablanca in 2013, in addition to the aforementioned 2016 final. The match was the fourth final not to feature a South American team after 2010, 2013 and 2016 (all of which the European teams won).