FIFA faces a harsh reality.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is fast approaching.

FIFA once dreamed of a Club World Cup on the scale of the national World Cup: 32 teams, a top-tier competition bringing together the most prestigious brands in world football. However, as the ball is about to roll in the US, that dream is facing a very real concern: empty stands.

Big tournament, small atmosphere.

63 games in a month – that's an impressive number for any league. But for Americans, who already have the NBA, NFL, MLB, and MLS to satisfy their weekly sporting needs, a new, unfamiliar, and untraditional football league will struggle to capture attention.

Even the opening match between Inter Miami – a team featuring Lionel Messi – and Al Ahly (Egypt), held at the Hard Rock Stadium with a capacity of nearly 64,000 seats, was not guaranteed to fill the stands. Many sources indicate that FIFA is working behind the scenes to ensure a full house, despite the fact that ticket sales haven't met expectations.

Furthermore, according to journalist Diego Monroig (ESPN Argentina), only two clubs, Real Madrid and Boca Juniors, sold out all tickets for their three group stage matches – a clear indication that global fame does not equate to universal appeal locally.

Real Madrid is an incredibly strong brand. They boast a star-studded lineup including Bellingham, Vinicius, Valverde… and, of course, a massive fanbase spanning from Europe to America. Real Madrid's sold-out matches are no surprise. But even more noteworthy is the impressive presence of Boca Juniors.

The Manchester City stars have arrived in the US, preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup.

The club from Argentina doesn't have many players widely known outside of South America. But Boca is a cultural icon, embodying the spirit of street football, a name that evokes intense emotions for the Latino community in America – especially in Miami, where they will play their first two matches.

Boca's success in ticket sales is proof of a soft power that European football sometimes overlooks: identity. When fans feel they belong to a club, they don't need a Champions League title to love it.

FIFA and the challenge of trust.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reassured the media that stadiums – especially for the opening match – would be packed with spectators. “We will have full stands, a truly festive atmosphere,” he said. But is that the truth, or just a subjective belief?

FIFA has placed a huge bet on the Club World Cup – not just for television rights or advertising revenue, but also for a strategic goal: expanding soccer's influence in the US market ahead of the 2026 World Cup. But if Americans aren't enthusiastic, and most matches are filled with empty seats, then that message may backfire.

The fact that only two out of 32 teams sold out their tickets is a wake-up call. The tournament cannot survive on just a few big names. And if the remaining matches are lackluster, the brand value will erode, potentially even counteracting FIFA's "globalization" vision.

Could the Club World Cup become a tournament that helps FIFA gain prestige?

The Club World Cup – as its name suggests – should be a stage for clubs, not just European clubs. But with the majority of fans only interested in a few familiar giants, while representatives from Africa, Asia, CONCACAF, or South America (apart from Boca Juniors) are completely overshadowed, that "big stage" is becoming unbalanced.

Remember, the World Cup's success isn't just about Brazil, Germany, or France. It's a global event because it unites fans from Japan to Senegal, from Mexico to Iran. The current Club World Cup, however, is struggling within its own model: a grandiose exterior, but empty inside if it lacks genuine emotion and community involvement.

FIFA needs to face the current challenge head-on. Instead of focusing on the number of teams, the number of matches, or the scale of the organization, perhaps the most important thing is to rekindle the love of football locally – through stories, iconic players, and connections with the community. A stadium filled with 10,000 truly passionate fans is worth far more than a 60,000-seat stadium with sparse cheers.

If the 2025 Club World Cup fails in terms of atmosphere, it's not just a matter of media or marketing – it's a reminder to FIFA that football isn't just about big names, but about emotion, connection, and belief. These three elements, unfortunately, are still severely lacking on the journey to making the Club World Cup a "second World Cup."

Source: https://znews.vn/fifa-doi-mat-thuc-te-phu-phang-post1560507.html