Impressive Ticket Sales for Club World Cup
According to FIFA’s announcements on Tuesday, ticket sales for the Club World Cup, which began last weekend in the U.S. with an expanded format, have achieved impressive figures, with fans hailing from over 130 nations purchasing close to 1.5 million tickets.
Highlights from the Opening Matches
The event kicked off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, where over 60,000 spectators gathered to witness the debut match featuring Lionel Messi of Inter Miami. The following day, the Rose Bowl drew a larger crowd of approximately 80,000 as Paris Saint-Germain triumphed over Atlético Madrid with a decisive 4-0 scoreline.
Mixed Attendance and Reactions
While many matches saw significant turnouts, there were instances of low attendance as well. For example, a midday match on Tuesday between Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense attracted only a sparse audience at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In Atlanta, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca commented on the unusual atmosphere at their game against LAFC, which saw just over 22,000 fans filling a stadium designed for 71,000 spectators during a 3 p.m. local kickoff.
FIFA’s Vision and Future Concerns
FIFA President Gianni Infantino remarked, “This is exactly what the FIFA Club World Cup was created for: a world-class stage where new stories are told, new heroes emerge, and club football fans feel part of something bigger.”
The organization aims for this tournament to serve as an enticing lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Skepticism Surrounding the Tournament
Despite this optimism, skepticism surrounds the event’s viability, particularly following the disappointing Copa America held earlier in 2024, which suffered from poor pitch conditions and lower-than-ideal turnout, culminating in security issues during the final in Miami. Additionally, the tournament raises questions about player fatigue, as teams face up to seven extra matches in a year where they are already transitioning from their European seasons to begin the following campaign in August.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has criticized the Club World Cup as “absurd” and suggested that it should be dropped from FIFA’s future competitions.
The tournament concludes on July 13, with a hefty $40 million prize awaiting the eventual champions out of a total prize pool of $1 billion.
