FIFA Club World Cup Faces Backlash After Embarrassingly Low Turnouts

FIFA is facing criticism after their newly expanded Club World Cup failed to attract fans, with some matches showing extremely poor attendance.

One of the lowest turnouts happened at the Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, where fewer than 600 people attended a match in a stadium that holds 25,500.

The tournament began with high hopes, especially with star players like Lionel Messi involved. However, even the opening match between Inter Miami and Al-Ahly did not fill the stadium. In Chelsea’s first game against Los Angeles FC, only 22,000 fans showed up at the 75,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. To make matters worse, the stadium’s top tier had to be closed due to lack of demand. Tickets were originally priced at £38, but prices dropped quickly. In some cases, students were able to buy tickets for as low as \$20.

In Orlando, a match between South Korea’s Ulsan and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns had shockingly low turnout. A journalist who was there said before the game, “I counted 97 people at Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns here in Orlando.” He later estimated only 557 fans were present, with fewer than 1,000 expected in total. The match was also delayed for over an hour due to bad weather.

People on social media were quick to react. One person wrote, “This FIFA Club World Cup is an absolute disaster for the smaller teams. How many fans are in Orlando? 200?” Another commented, “Seen bigger crowds at non-league football grounds than this match in Orlando for the Club World Cup…” A third added, “If it’s true that there are less than 1,000 people at Ulsan vs Sundowns in the Club World Cup then that’s mad. I’ve just watched now and can barely make out a crowd at all.” Another said, “If attendances continue to be that low, surely Infantino will face repercussions??? (laughing cry face) who am I kidding, the king won’t depose himself (laughing cry face).”

FIFA has used a pricing system where ticket costs depend on demand. They also cut prices for the opening match in Miami, and that event saw over 60,000 fans fill the 65,000-capacity Hard Rock Stadium. Despite these issues, FIFA still insists that the competition is a global success. A spokesperson said, “We anticipate great attendances and electric atmospheres at its inaugural edition, with excitement growing with every round of matches and the tournament ultimately standing as the undisputed pinnacle of club world football.” They also added, “The appetite speaks for itself: fans from over 130 countries have already purchased tickets. The top 10 markets are led by the United States, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal – a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.”

FIFA is offering major prize money to make the tournament attractive. A total of £775 million is available, with European clubs guaranteed £20 million just for taking part. Teams get £1.5 million for every group-stage win and £800,000 for a draw. A win in the last-16 earns £6 million, and the rewards increase from there, reaching over £30 million for the winner.

However, not everyone is supportive. The president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, is firmly against the tournament. “My goal is to ensure there are no more Club World Cups, that’s very clear,” he said. “There’s no need for yet another competition that moves money to a sector of clubs and players and comes from somewhere. There’s no more money here; we have to maintain the ecosystem and eliminate it. Keep it as it was before, which was a weekend. There’s no way, neither in terms of dates, nor economics, nor maintaining the sustainability of football.”

Tebas also said he watched part of Chelsea’s match against LAFC but was not impressed. “I didn’t see any intensity,” he said, comparing the match to a preseason friendly.

Despite the investment and promises from FIFA, the poor crowds have sparked debate about whether the revamped Club World Cup can really become a major global football event.

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