2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one of the perfect substitute candidates for terephthalic acid (PTA), an important chemical from the non-renewable fossil resource, due to the same functional groups and similar aromaticity between them. Biomass-based 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is the preferred feedstock for the production of FDCA, herein, the selective oxidation of HMF to prepare FDCA through the oxidation reaction by oxidant directly, and catalytic oxidation by precious metal catalyst, non-precious metal catalyst, electrocatalytic and enzymic processes in the recent ten years have been reviewed systematically. In the meantime, the catalytic systems for the selective conversion of sugars into FDCA through catalytic dehydration and oxidation steps have also been summarized with their economic feasibility. Catalysts play the key role in the selective oxidation of HMF into FDCA with high efficiency; several suggestions have been given for the design of catalysts, and it will be helpful for the industrial application of FDCA in the future.