Unmasking FIFA's Club World Cup Attendance Spectacle: Fact vs. Fiction
- Penned by: Tim Schulze
- Duration: + - 3 Min
Discussing Dismissal of Global Fan Enthusiasm Regarding the Club World Cup by FIFA - Revitalizing Fan Engagement in the Club World Cup by FIFA
The Borussia Dortmund versus Fluminense match played before a crowd of 34,736 spectators. The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, hosting the BVB's initial Group stage encounter, can accommodate 82,500 fans — a few thousand more than Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park. Consequently, the electric atmosphere one might expect for the BVB professionals may have felt somewhat muted.
Glaring vacancies adorned the standing sections. Upon the teams' entrance onto the pitch, the scarcely populated stands left one empathizing with the players. The game concluded with a scoreless draw, leaving German football fans disappointed. Controversially, Fluminense, spearheaded by 40-year-old defender Thiago Silva, outplayed Dortmund for most of the match, with the draw benefiting the Germans.
Subpar on-field performances plague this grand tournament (32 teams), but the lack of spectator enthusiasm is a more pressing concern. FIFA's announcement ostensibly plays down any concerns, asserting that the tournament is a "fan triumph." They claim that over 340,000 people watched the matches in the stadiums during the first three matchdays.
FIFA's Questionable Attendance Figures
Skepticism surrounds whether certain matches were truly sold out or if all spectators were actually present. The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with a capacity of 5,000 more than the reported attendance (65,326), witnessed a shortfall of approximately 10,000 spectators to completely fill the Rose Bowl during PSG's appearance in Pasadena, California. Nonetheless, these two contests can be considered fan favorites. The affair between Boca Juniors from Buenos Aires and Benfica Lisbon attracted 55,000 spectators, well below the 65,000-fan capacity at their stadium.
The support for these matches is most likely due to the heavily discounted tickets. FIFA employs a dynamic pricing model; ticket prices escalate with increased demand, or decrease if demand wanes. Tickets for the inaugural game approached $300 several months in advance but plummeted to around $70 more recently. Over half of the 48 Round of 16 games feature tickets priced below $36. In comparison, Round of 16 games at the European Football Championship typically cost between 60 and 200 euros.
Lower Ticket prices and decreased fan interest aren't a perfect match
Inexpensive admission rates failed to spark spectator enthusiasm for the remaining matches. The Rose Bowl Stadium, with an 89,000 seating capacity, was only half-filled for the CF Monterrey versus Inter Milan game (40,000 attendees). In Cincinnati, Bayern Munich couldn't even fill a 26,000-seat stadium against Auckland City FC (only 21,000 spectators). Botafogo versus Seattle Sounders, fielding a local team, attracted 30,151 spectators rather than the possible 68,740. FC Chelsea encountered 22,137 fans instead of the 42,500 during their match with Los Angeles FC. The lowest points were the matches between River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds (11,974 spectators, 38,300 capacity) and Ulsan HD FC and Mamelodi Sundowns (3,412 fans, 25,500 capacity). The situation can only improve from here.
Sources: "Capital", "Kicker", DPA
- FIFA
- USA
- BVB
- Spectator Interest
- Tournament
Enrichment Data:
Overall: FIFA's reported attendance figures for the 2025 Club World Cup have sparked controversy and skepticism, with marked inconsistencies between official numbers and actual observed attendance.
FIFA’s Reported Attendance Figures
- FIFA claimed that cumulative attendance for the first eight matches surpassed 340,000, with over 1.5 million tickets sold in total across the tournament.[1][4]
- High-profile matches allegedly attracted large crowds, for instance:
- Inter Miami vs. Al-Ahly: nearly 60,000 spectators at the Hard Rock Stadium (seating capacity 65,326)[1][4]
- Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs. Atletico Madrid: over 80,000 spectators (specifically 80,619) at the Rose Bowl Stadium (capacity 89,702)[2][4]
- Palmeiras vs. FC Porto: 46,275 fans at MetLife Stadium (capacity 82,500)[4]
- Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City: 21,152 fans at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati[4]
Discrepancies and Actual Attendance Observations
- Despite FIFA’s optimistic figures, numerous reports and eyewitness accounts noted low turnout and noticeably empty stadiums in several matches, particularly those featuring less well-known teams.
- For example, Ulsan Hyundai’s inaugural game reportedly drew around 3,000 spectators, but the visible attendance appeared significantly lower, akin to a minor league match.[2]
- Media and fan reactions described some events as "a fiasco," with hardly any fans in large stadiums, leading to allegations that camera angles were manipulated to conceal empty seats.[1]
- Inflated initial ticket prices and scheduling conflicts with other tournaments are believed to have contributed to low physical attendance.[3]
- Approximately 52% of tickets were sold on average according to FIFA data cited in reports, which does not guarantee actual attendance equaling those figures sold[1]
Summary
- FIFA’s attendance figures may be inflated or represent tickets sold instead of actual attendance.
- High-profile games with popular teams drew relatively large crowds (60,000 to 80,000+).
- Matches featuring lesser-known sides suffered dismal attendance, with multiple venues largely empty despite official claims.
- Hefty initial ticket prices and scheduling conflicts with other tournaments played a part in low actual turnout.
- Overall, attendance numbers showed significant inconsistencies with FIFA’s optimistic official figures, with noticeable empty seats at many matches[1][2][3][4].
- The controversy surrounding FIFA's attendance figures for the 2025 Club World Cup extends to various policies, including the community policy and employment policy, as fans find it hard to justify paying high ticket prices while observing empty stands.
- The lack of fan interest in European leagues such as the premier-league and sports like football might be reflected in the decreased attendance at the Club World Cup, especially when compared to the high ticket prices initially set.
