FIFA’s inaugural Club World Cup in the US sparks mixed reactions amid record $1 billion prize pool

WEB DESK: FIFA, the global governing body of international soccer, has lured some of the world’s top teams to the US for an inaugural Club World Cup with a record $1 billion to be distributed over the next month.

Despite a global marketing campaign that’s featured Lionel Messi, fans so far appear underwhelmed.

After reportedly starting out above $300 a ticket, seats for the opening June 14 match in Miami between Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt Al Ahly FC are available for $73 on Ticketmater.

But with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich participating organizers are betting that later-stage matches will fill the large stadiums as a $125 million prize for the winner entices the 32 clubs to play their best players.

While that’s fraction of annual revenue for large European clubs, it’s still a significant prize even for the most successful teams. What’s more, it’s a massive windfall for teams from countries like Brazil or Argentina, setting the stage for competitive matches.

For fans in the US, the tournament is a rare opportunity to see some of the game’s best players including Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland – as well as Ousmane Dembélé and other players from recently crowded European champion PSG – at relatively affordable prices. And given that summer pre-season tournaments that often include top European clubs routinely sell out, interest for big games should grow as the competition progresses.

FIFA slashes prices for Inter Miami’s CWC opener

“I would fully expect the very big teams to sell out,” said Pete Oliver, chief executive officer of growth market at DAZN, the exclusive global broadcaster for the tournament. “If Chelsea come and do a preseason tour in the US, not even in a competition like this, they sell out all of the stadiums straight away. Real Madrid will sell out. The big South American teams will sell out.”

The tournament, which will run through July 13, will feature 48 groups stage matches across 11 cities in the US. It will serve as a precursor for the World Cup next year to be played across North America, giving a taste of what cities can expect, albeit on a small scale.

Testing Demand

The vent will test demand among American fans. The average price for the final match at MetLife in New Jersey is currently $900. By contrast, Super Bowl tickets this year averaged between $2,000 and $6,000, according to data from StubHub.

Crowd control and security will be another thing to watch as rowdy supporters from Europe and South America who often travel long distances for international tournaments swarm host cities and stadiums. Supporters from outside the US will also have to navigate ever-changing immigration rules and restrictions under the Trump administration.

The last time the US hosted a major soccer tournament was the 2024 Copa America. The final was delayed after a rush of fans with no tickets overwhelmed security staff, sparking chaos in and around the stadium in Miami.

Matches featuring Real Madrid, one of the world’s most popular teams, are largely sold out, according to Spanish sport site As.com. Ticketmaster shows the cheapest seats for the club’s first match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal starting at $256. FIFA has used a dynamic pricing policy for tickets to gauge demand and is now trying to fill seats.

The previous format to crown the best club in the world was an annual series of matches late in the year between the winner of the European Champions League, South America’s Libertadores and other teams from around the world. European teams have dominated winning of 14 of the past 15 years.