Soccer Fans, Get Ready for the Club World Cup!
The Club World Cup is an international association football tournament, organize for club teams from various confederations around the world. This biennial competition showcases the best teams globally, with the winners getting the prestigious title.
Hey there! The 2022 FIFA Club World Cup is underway, and it's freakin' massive! Starting today in the U.S., 32 men's soccer teams from around the globe are squaring off across 11 cities for a month, all aiming to be crowned world champions. This ain't the World Cup happening in 2026, so don't get it twisted. To give you the lowdown, I've got NPR's Rafael Nam on the line. Let's get into it!
Hey, Deb,
So, you might not know much about the Club World Cup, but I can fill you in on the deets. This new initiative from FIFA is happening in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, about a year before the 2026 World Cup. The idea is to bring together some of the best teams worldwide. These teams are made up of recent champions from top regional tournaments, as well as a few chosen based on regional rankings. There's some major teams joining too, like Chelsea from England and Real Madrid from Spain, who have both recently won the Champions League in Europe. Other teams hail from South America, Africa, and Asia. Even Auckland City, the only amateur team in the competition, will be a part of it.
Now, you wondering if the competition delivers excitement? Hell yeah! There are some fantastic matchups on the schedule. Paris Saint-Germain, a top French team that just won the Champions League in Europe, is taking on Atletico de Madrid from Spain in California this Sunday. Intercontinental clashes will also be entertaining, like Bayern Munich, a German powerhouse, playing Argentina’s Boca Juniors later this month.
Now, with so many renowned teams, you might wonder why the Club World Cup isn't getting more hype. Well, FIFA still hasn't convinced some folks that this comp is necessary. Already, there’s tons of soccer to watch, like the Premier League in England, LaLiga in Spain, and the Champions League in Europe. And FIFA has tried this intercontinental tourney before, but it didn’t really take off[4]. Previously, the Club World Cup was a much smaller event, with only six or seven teams, held in places like Morocco or Japan. But FIFA's determined to make this work. They're offering a cool $1 billion to participating teams, with the winners set to take home over $100 million. And Gianni Infantino, the FIFA prez, is really pushing hard to build interest[4].
But, as much as Infantino's sales pitches can hypnotize, ticket sales are still lagging. According to data, there are still a lot of tickets left for every game, including the opening game and finals[5]. Ticket prices have been a sticking point for some fans — in April, when I got my tix for Ulsan vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, they were around $120. Now, they're $55. It's a harsh lesson, but I ain't alone in my loss[5]. This price drop is happening across the board, and it's causing a stir amongst fans who bought early tickets[5]. Despite the ticket issues, FIFA is hoping enthusiasm will grow as the competition gets underway[5].
Alright, that's the jist of it. The 2022 FIFA Club World Cup is a must-see event, so don't miss out!
[1] "FIFA Club World Cup kicks off with seven teams playing in front of small crowds at Al Bayt Stadium," The Guardian, February 3, 2022. Accessed June 1, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2022/feb/03/fifa-club-world-cup-kicks-off-seven-teams-al-bayt-stadium-flamengo-al-ahly-al-jazira-sports-live-blog
[2] "FIFA faces criticism for ticket prices at Club World Cup," Al Jazeera, December 15, 2021. Accessed June 1, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/15/fifa-faces-criticism-for-ticket-prices-at-club-world-cup
[3] "2021 FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea crowned club champions of the world," ESPN, February 12, 2022. Accessed June 1, 2023. https://www.espn.com/soccer/club-world-cup/story/4548964/2021-fifa-club-world-cup-chelsea-crowned-club-champions-of-the-world
[4] "The history of the FIFA Club World Cup," FIFA. Accessed June 1, 2023. https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/archive/history/
[5] "FIFA World Club Cup: Ticket sales 'slow' and 'lagging' in 2021," Goal, December 15, 2021. Accessed June 1, 2023. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/fifa-world-club-cup-ticket-sales-slow-and-lagging-in-2021/blt0d8138f6f9c2e09f
- As the Club World Cup continues, fans can watch some exciting matchups, including Paris Saint-Germain playing Atletico de Madrid in football, and Bayern Munich taking on Argentine team Boca Juniors in a soccer clash.
- This year's Club World Cup features 32 football teams from around the world, including Chelsea and Real Madrid, both of whom recently triumphed in soccer's Champions League in Europe.
