A scarcely attended Club World Cup clash attracts less than 3,500 spectators
"Yo, check this out! Only 3,412 Fans Rock Up to Mamelodi Match"
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When Borussia Dortmund played a drip-draw against Fluminense to start Group F in the Club World Cup, other teams were following suit. Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Dortmund's upcoming opponent, clinched a victory with a delay. The hype for this match? As flat as a pancake.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC enters their match-up against Borussia Dortmund with the energy of a win under their belt. Just a while after Dortmund's 0-0 draw against Fluminense Rio de Janeiro, the South African squad netted a 1-0 victory against Ulsan HD. Iqraam Rayners was the lucky scorer in the 36th minute.
The match, delayed by about an hour due to some fierce thunderstorm action, took place in the stadium of MLS club Orlando City, which can hold a whopping 25,500 fans. The US news agency AP initially reported numbers that were barely over a grand in the stands.
Homeboy Says it Feels Strange
Before Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca caught a vibe, the atmosphere at his team's opening match in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta felt "strange." Only 22,000 fans came, but the arena can hold an insane 71,000. Even Bayern star Joshua Kimmich admitted, "So far, the buzz ain't quite there yet."
Dortmund Players Ain't Broke, Though
Despite the low turnout for some games, FIFA reports that they've sold close to 1.5 million tickets for the total of 63 games leading up to the final on July 13. Folks from more than 130 countries have snatched some tickets. U.S. fans lead the charge, followed by Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. Already, more than 340,000 people have watched the games in the stadiums across the first three matchdays.
The crew from Mamelodi Sundowns is set to duke it out with Dortmund on Saturday. Dortmund's last group-stage match in Group F will then go down against Ulsan on June 25.
Credit: ntv.de, tno/dpa/sid
Enrichment: The 2025 Club World Cup, with a 32-team format and held in the U.S., has seen major variations in crowd size based on the teams playing. Big-name clubs like Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Palmeiras have drawn tens of thousands in large stadiums, while games featuring lesser-known clubs from smaller footballing markets have struggled to draw a crowd. For example, the Sundowns versus Ulsan match recorded only around 600 in a stadium with a hefty 25,500 capacity, and the Sundowns-Dortmund match had similarly modest numbers. Limited local fanbase, tournament format and scheduling, venue and location challenges, and overall skepticism about the Club World Cup appeal are contributing factors to the low attendance.
- The upcoming community policy for managing stadiums during European-leagues matches, particularly within the Club World Cup, might consider addressing low turnouts in light of the recent 3,412 fans that rocked up to the Mamelodi Sundowns FC vs Borussia Dortmund match, a Champions-League contender match, held in a stadium designed for 25,500 fans.
- While the football community eagerly anticipates the Champions-League, premier European-leagues competition, the current employment policy for stadium staff may need reconsideration following the low attendance at the Sports Stadium for the Mamelodi Sundowns FC vs Borussia Dortmund match, which saw only 3,412 fans attend, despite a capacity of 25,500.
