Lessons from the Club World Cup to Apply for the Next Year's World Cup by FIFA
A Tough Start for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
The inaugural tournament, taking place across various US cities, has faced some serious challenges in its early stages. Despite the astronomical growth of soccer in the United States over the past 31 years, with Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and other leagues, the soccer gods haven't been shining too brightly on this competition.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was aiming to showcase how American soccer has flourished since the 1994 World Cup. However, the mix of overambitious goals, steep ticket prices, poor timing, and unfavorable weather conditions have resulted in weaker than anticipated attendance and a lukewarm spectator experience.
One massive challenge has been skyrocketing ticket prices. It's no secret that FIFA has been forced to slash their original ticket prices by 25% and provide refunds, thanks to public outcry and reports from several media outlets. The least expensive seat for the quarterfinal at MetLife Stadium costs $309.29, with the most expensive tickets in the lower bowl reaching as high as $1,460. For the final, the least priced seats start at a hefty $768 in the upper deck, while the priciest seats in the lower bowl will set fans back an eye-watering $2,950. These prices are simply too steep for the average soccer fan.
In addition, significant competition from the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which is anticipated to take place across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, might be enticing fans to save their money and wait for the major showdown instead. Given the storied history behind the World Cup, it's almost a guarantee that attendees will be flocking to the event in huge numbers when it rolls around.
The poor attendance at this year's Club World Cup provides crucial insights for planners of the 2026 World Cup. Factors such as affordable ticket pricing, scheduling matches at appropriate times, promoting the event to create excitement among fans, and leveraging teams with strong fanbases will be essential in avoiding the same pitfalls that plagued this year's tournament.
Talking about upcoming football events, the 2026 World Cup aims to surpass the relatively subdued reception faced by the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which has struggled with pricey ticket costs and intense competition from the upcoming global tournament. Despite Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF participating, the event has been affected by a weak spectator experience, unfavorable weather conditions, and lower than expected attendance, raising concerns for future football competitions such as the Paris Saint-Germain's potential participation in the 2026 World Cup at Metlife Stadium.
