Why FIFA Must Take Responsibility for Low Club World Cup Attendance

Last summer, FIFA sought to kick off the revamped 32-team Club World Cup in the U.S., but disagreements surfaced. Reports from FIFA staff in Miami indicated a preference for utilizing smaller MLS stadiums to avoid empty seats and boost revenues, especially for less familiar teams in the U.S. However, senior officials led by Gianni Infantino aimed for a grand spectacle, touting the tournament as a major event in club football.

Infantino touted the Club World Cup as featuring "the best players from the best teams." He envisioned high prize money, aiming for the winner to take home $125 million. However, this figure still fell short of the $154 million that Real Madrid earned from the 2024 Champions League.

FIFA chose large stadiums for most of the matches, with eight venues having over 65,000 seats. This raised concerns about low attendance. For instance, Fluminense’s match against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns at Hard Rock Stadium had sold fewer than 10,000 tickets. Similar worries existed for games featuring high-profile teams like Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Historically, major tournaments don’t always sell out, even in established football markets. The European Championship in 1996 saw many empty seats, partly due to high ticket prices and a lack of interest in foreign teams. A similar predicament was witnessed during the World Cups in Brazil and Qatar, where empty seats became a talking point.

Some experts worry that empty stands at the Club World Cup could negatively influence perceptions of soccer’s popularity in the U.S. There’s apprehension that this could affect future investments, especially with the World Cup upcoming next year.

FIFA set a high bar for ticket pricing, assuming demand would mirror that for other major sports. However, many American fans felt disconnected from the event and found ticket costs prohibitive. Games scheduled for weekday afternoons added to the challenge, making attendance inconvenient. Regional favorites like Boca Juniors drew more interest, yet even popular matchups struggled to sell out.

In a bid to fill seats, FIFA offered discounted tickets to local students, hoping to attract a younger audience. Reports indicated that thousands of seats remained unsold as of a fortnight before the tournament.

Additionally, high-profile matches could be overshadowed by other events, like the Gold Cup, which features the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico. Recent statistics suggest the U.S. sports market is currently saturated, which may lead fans to prioritize their spending on the upcoming World Cup instead.

FIFA’s approach seems to have missed the mark. While they aimed to create excitement ahead of next summer’s tournament, it would have been prudent to offer more affordable ticket options from the get-go. As it stands, the organization’s efforts to engage the U.S. audience appear frantic, and it remains to be seen if these strategies yield positive results.

For further insights on FIFA’s ticketing strategies and soccer’s growth in the U.S., you can refer to The Athletic for detailed reports and analysis.

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FIFA Club World Cup, Premier League, Soccer, Sports Business