FIFA: Did the Club World Cup in the USA flop?
- Antonio Carlos Faustino
- Jun 14
- 4 min read
Introduction
The biggest and most ambitious Club World Cup in FIFA history kicks off today, June 14, 2025, in the United States. With a new format, more teams and stars like Messi and Vinícius Júnior, expectations were for a grand event, worthy of Hollywood. But there is something strange in the air: unsold tickets, price cuts and confusing marketing suggest that the tournament could face embarrassment. Did FIFA bet too high?
What is happening?
The tournament will bring together 32 clubs from five continents, but so far, the main headline has been the lack of interest from the North American public. FIFA, faced with lower-than-expected sales, drastically reduced prices: tickets that cost US$349 are now sold for less than US$60 (THE TIMES, 2025).
More worryingly, entire sections of stadiums such as SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) and MetLife Stadium (New Jersey) are being covered with tarps to disguise the absence of spectators, as reported by outlets such as Cadena SER and The Wall Street Journal.
Where is the audience?
Despite the presence of big clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Palmeiras and Inter Miami, the North Americans seem not to have been excited about the event.
Main reasons:
1. Lack of local football tradition Football (“soccer”) does not yet occupy the same space in US sports culture as the NFL, NBA or MLB.
2. Exaggerated initial price The attempt to make the event more elitist drove away the average audience. The price of some tickets reached US$ 2,000 in pre-sale (THE TIMES, 2025).
3. Failed marketing Many residents of host cities did not even know that the tournament would start today. The lack of actions aimed at the Latin audience was also a strategic error.
4. Sports competition The event takes place amid a busy schedule of other leagues and tournaments, including the Gold Cup and the NBA Finals.
What FIFA did to avoid failure
Under pressure from clubs and sponsors, FIFA had to react:
Cuts of up to 80% on tickets;
Promotions with combos and discounts for students;
Partnerships with digital influencers;
Free streaming on the DAZN app in the US;
Redesign of sectors in stadiums to create the illusion of capacity.
Will Messi save the World Cup?
Inter Miami, Lionel Messi's club, will play Al-Ahly of Egypt in its debut today. Messi's presence is FIFA's biggest bet to generate headlines and attract fans. But even that didn't guarantee a full house. Press reports show that there are thousands of tickets left for this game, including in the central areas (CADENA SER, 2025).
If not even Messi fills stadiums in the US, FIFA has a real problem.
The importance of the tournament for 2026
The Club World Cup is being seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA wants to use the event as a showcase to assess infrastructure, logistics and local public interest.
But what was supposed to be a glorious preview of the World Cup could turn into a red alert.
If the tournament fails, the 2026 World Cup Organizing Committee will have to reevaluate its popular engagement strategies, especially with immigrant and young audiences.
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What to expect in the coming days?
Phase Date Highlights
Group stage 14–28 June Inter Miami, Al-Ahly
Round of 16 and Quarterfinals June 29 to July 5 Manchester City, Flamengo
Semi-finals 8–9 July Real Madrid and PSG
Final July 13 MetLife Stadium
Depending on the success (or failure) of this first week, FIFA may increase promotions or even move matches to smaller stadiums.
Conclusion: Flop in sight?
It is still too early to declare failure, but the opening scenario is worrying. The 2025 Club World Cup has already taught a hard lesson: global success in football does not guarantee local appeal. FIFA will have to reevaluate its strategy if it wants to win the hearts of American fans once and for all.
If everything goes well in the coming days, the initial problems may be forgotten. But if the trend continues, the 2025 World Cup will go down in history as the “event that nobody wanted to see”.
References
THE TIMES. Club World Cup tickets 16% of original price as Lionel Messi lure fails. London, 2025.
CHADENA SER. Covered fences and stranded tickets: the other reality of the Club World Cup. Madrid, 2025.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. The $2 Billion Club World Cup Is Coming to America. Will Anyone Watch? New York, 2025.
FIFA. Official information on the 2025 Club World Cup. Zurich, 2025.
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