FIFA Club World Cup struggling to create excitement in US with one week to go

A week before the start of the FIFA Club World Cup, the mood in the United States towards the event is one of indifference. Flashscore visited MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday, the venue for the final and eight other matches, and there was absolutely nothing to do with the competition.

No structure, no plots, no team working on preparations. The only movement was that of staff watching the entrances and exits for The Weeknd's concert, which, unlike FIFA, sold out.

Tickets for Palmeiras vs Porto, for example, the first match of the Club World Cup at MetLife, started at around US$ 350 (almost R$ 1,950). Today, it's already possible to find them for less than US$ 60 (just over R$ 334).

There's also an aggravating factor for this match because Father's Day in the United States will be celebrated exactly on this date.

Recording of The Weeknd's concert at MetLife StadiumTHEO WARGO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The low demand for the opening match, between Inter Miami and Al-Ahly of Egypt, knocked the price of tickets down by almost 50%. Rumour had it that as many as 20,000 tickets had been sold for the match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on 14 June.

Not even the final seems to be attracting fans. According to the Daily Mirror, tickets for the match that will determine the first world champion in the new format initially started at 890 dollars (around R$5,000 at the current price). The same ticket is now on sale for 300 dollars (R$1,680).

As a result of the reduction in ticket prices, FIFA recently sent fans an e-mail in which it gave refund instructions to those who bought the high-priced tickets. It's an attempt to compensate those who have clearly suffered a loss as a result of the brutal variation.

_____________________________________________________

Sponsored:

FIFA Club World Cup - Every Game Free, exclusively on DAZN.

____________________________________________________________________

An appetiser for the next World Cup

MetLife employees interviewed by Flashscore said they were aware of the FIFA Club World Cup. Internal meetings have been taking place about the work that will be done during the tournament.

However, according to them, the main activity will take place next year, when the country hosts the FIFA World Cup. The expectation, according to the staff, is that the stadium will be closed for a few months from January to meet all of FIFA's requirements, especially the pitch.

Facade of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New JerseyLUKE HALES / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Although the Club World Cup generates anticipation for the 2026 World Cup, this year's "test event" is very different. For local businesses, for example, the focus is not on this summer, but on next, and planning has already begun in many communities to ensure that they reap the benefits of an event of this magnitude "in their backyards".

On the outskirts of the stadium, the promise for next year is special areas for fans to enjoy all the hospitality of the World Cup, with multiple activations that will make for a memorable matchday.

"Our structure will be like a Super Bowl per game," says one of MetLife's employees.

Schedule for MetLife Stadium until the start of the Club World Cup competitionCoach USA/X/Reprodução

What about the MLS stadiums?

With demand sluggish, many question why FIFA hasn't invested in more suitable venues for the competition, namely MLS stadiums. But the North American league won't stop during the Club World Cup and, during the same period, the United States will also host the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Most of the matches between teams will take place on the West Coast, in addition to a venue in Vancouver, Canada.

Dress rehearsal

With the Club World Cup just around the corner, FIFA is facing major challenges. The first will be to gauge the United States' appetite for "football" on the eve of the biggest competition on the planet.

Then, of course, it will be a dress rehearsal for 2026, with the pitches already in the correct measurements and with natural grass, something that was not seen during last year's Copa America.

And finally, to understand what the future will be for this club competition, which has been criticised for its inclusion in an extremely tight calendar and which has been damaging athletes, especially with the increase in serious injuries.