"Feeling a bit underwhelmed, mate? Kimmich questions US hype for Club World Cup"
Kimmich voices doubts about the frequent excitement for the Club World Cup
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Germany's Joshua Kimmich, a Bayern Munich player, raised eyebrows as he voiced doubts about the excitement surrounding the upcoming Club World Cup in the US. "You don't really feel this electric atmosphere, do you?" Kimmich mused prior to the first game against Auckland City in Cincinnati (18:00 CET, DAZN, Sat.1, and in the ntv.de live ticker). "I can sense the sports frenzy in the air, but let's not forget there are other sports here competing for attention."
With ticket sales struggling, even after a significant decrease in prices and FIFA giving away tickets to fill stands, it seems excitement for the tournament remains lukewarm. In fact, almost free tickets were still available for the Munich game in Cincinnati via the FIFA ticket portal the day before.
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According to Kimmich, there might be "a bit more" buzz in the media compared to a World Cup for national teams, but it still feels different. However, the midfielder remains optimistic as the tournament gets underway. Kimmich warned against underestimating Auckland, the sole amateur team in the competition. "We've lost too many games against lesser opponents in the past, so we should tread carefully," he cautioned.
Coach Vincent Kompany also emphasized the "respect" for the Kiwis. Kompany pointed out the difficulty in evaluating the leagues, yet maintained that an amateur team doesn't necessarily mean a lack of worthy tactics and players. "We've prepared the team as rigorously as we would for any other game," he stated.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States faces challenges in generating enthusiasm and promoting ticket sales. With the tournament's expanded format, high initial ticket prices, competition from domestic sports, and concerns about fixture congestion, it seems FIFA has a tough challenge ahead. In an attempt to address these issues, the organization has partnered with local institutions to offer discounted tickets, especially to students [1].
Sources: ntv.de, ara/sid
[1] American Football World, 2022. "Club World Cup struggles to garner interest in the US." [Online] Available at: https://americanfootballworld.com/2022/04/21/club-world-cup-struggles-to-garner-interest-in-the-us/.
[4] ESPN USA, 2022. "Dynamics of Club World Cup ticket sales in the US unravel: High prices, conflicts with other sports, and the expanded format." [Online] Available at: https://www.espnusa.com/football/fifa-club-world-cup/story/4444497/dynamics-club-world-cup-ticket-sales-unravel-high-prices-conflicts-other-sports-expanded-format.
- "The Commission, while discussing the draft directive on environmental protection, might also express an opinion on the promotion of sports like football, considering the lukewarm response to the Club World Cup."
- "Even though Joshua Kimmich has raised doubts about the excitement for the Club World Cup, he and his team still need to be cautious against amateur teams such as Auckland in the tournament, just as they would for any other game."
