Not Turning Up for the Big Game: Why the Club World Cup is a Toy for FIFA Bosses - and Nobody Else Cares
- By Kilian Schroeder
- 3 Min
Global Tournament Unattended: World Cup Edition - No Spectators Present - Club competition in full swing, yet spectators nowhere to be found
With the FIFA World Cup the center of attention, you'd expect the Club World Cup to be the icing on the cake. Well, you'd be wrong. Despite the hallmark of football superstars like Leo Messi, Paris Saint-Germain, and even FC Bayern Munich gracing its stage, the tournament managed to fly under the radar for football fans - literally.
When the Club World Cup kicked off in the wee hours of Sunday morning, there were empty benches in the vast stadiums. Even now, tickets for the other games are still up for grabs, cheaper than ever.
A Pet Project of FIFA's President Infantino
FIFA is selling the dream through the Ticketmaster portal, using a dynamic pricing model. So, if you want a piece of the action, you better hope there's demand - because if there isn't, those high-priced tickets are going straight back onto the market.
For example, the opening game in December was priced over $300, but now you can grab one for approximately $70. The FC Bayern game against Boca Juniors gets a bit more love, but even these tickets are being slashed to under $69.
Considering group stage games at the European Football Championship in Germany usually ranged between $60 and $200, these prices are underwhelming - to say the least.
The Club World Cup is a passion project of FIFA's President Infantino. The 32 teams battle it out in eight groups of four to make it to the knockout stages. Win it, and you'll receive a shiny new trophy worth bragging about. Infantino even gifted one to the likes of Donald Trump. The Club World Cup is set to take place every four years from now on.
The Club World Cup: A Million-Dollar Babysitter
While critics waited with bated breath for the tournament to flop, a little gold party pooper appeared. The money. FIFA has announced mouthwatering prize money to douse the criticism. European teams get an entry fee of between $13 and $38 million, while the title winner walks away with a cool $40 million. In total, a club can make up to a staggering $88 million - a decent payday, if you ask us. And let's not forget where this gold comes from: the Saudi sovereign fund, sponsoring the event.
The Saudi sovereign fund reportedly invested $1 billion into DAZN, snagging FIFA's TV rights in the process[1]. Oh, and did we mention? Saudi Arabia is the host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup - even the German Football Association agreed!
But let's not get carried away. To avoid some embarrassing images of deserted stadiums, FIFA decided to pull a few strings. Miami Dade College students, for instance, can scoop up a $20 ticket and score four more free ones[2]. In Seattle, the higher seats were sectioned off, forcing fans to grab seats in the lower stands[2].
Critics' Corner: It's a Money Pit!
So why all the fuss? Well, for starters, players' bodies can't handle another competition on their already packed schedules. The European top clubs were also against it, calling it "crazy"[3]. But now, most critics are mum, thanks to FIFA's money-making scheme.
FIFA may have won over the critics, but is that enough to fill the stands? We'll soon find out.
Key terms:- FIFA- FC Bayern- Football tournament- Lionel Messi
Enrichment Data:The 2021 FIFA Club World Cup has faced relatively low attendance for several reasons, including:
- Lack of awareness and appreciation for the tournament: Local audiences in U.S. host cities may not fully understand the significance of the tournament or the identify with the teams competing[4].
- Timing conflicts: Games are often scheduled to cater to European TV audiences, which is inconvenient for local fans[2].
- Low-profile teams: Matches featuring less popular clubs experience lower attendance figures[2][5].
- Lackluster scheduling and organization: Higher-profile matches struggle to bring in consistent attendance, raising questions about the tournament's credibility[6].
To combat poor attendance, FIFA is taking steps such as offering discounted tickets to students, amplifying overall ticket sales, and implementing measures like closing off upper seating areas and encouraging fan participation in lower-tier stands[2][5]. However, the long-term success of these strategies remains to be seen.
I have a question about the Club World Cup, despite football superstars like Leo Messi, Paris Saint-Germain, and FC Bayern Munich participating, why are the stadiums relatively empty? Even though tickets for the Club World Cup games are being sold through the Ticketmaster portal, with dynamic pricing, and FIFA is offering prize money to participating teams, they are still struggling to attract a large audience.
