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Real Madrid has always been a big brand. |
In the context of many matches of the tournament taking place in empty stands, the Royal Spanish team became a beacon, the "last lever" for FIFA to regain the trust of fans and the media.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ - an expanded 32-team edition - was a strategic gamble by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. With the ambition of turning the tournament into a “Club World Cup”, FIFA chose to host it in the United States, using stadiums with huge capacity and expecting to create an atmosphere as passionate as the traditional World Cup. But reality dealt a slap in the face to those expectations.
From the very beginning, the appearance of mottled stands cast a dark shadow over the tournament. The Chelsea-LAFC match in Atlanta attracted just over 22,000 spectators, despite the stadium being capable of holding 70,000. The River Plate-Urawa Red Diamonds match was even worse, with less than 12,000 people in attendance, representing just 17% of capacity.
These numbers not only expose the indifference of American fans towards clubs outside of Europe, but also show that the Club World Cup model is still flawed. In that picture, Real Madrid stands out as a rare global brand capable of turning the tide.
All three of their group stage games were among the top five in ticket sales, with two of them completely sold out. Real Madrid have long been more than just a team, they are a global icon. And in this tournament, they have become the "lifeline" that helps FIFA save face.
FIFA understands that. Recent media reports from the organization have not been shy about highlighting Real Madrid's central role in boosting attendances and overall interest in the tournament.
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Real Madrid could help FIFA get through the first Club World Cup in its new format without being considered a failure. |
From a marketing perspective, Real Madrid is the perfect trump card. But the question is: if it depends on a few big clubs to save the image of a global tournament, is the Club World Cup really sustainable?
The difference between a national team and a club is undeniable. The national team evokes national pride, emotion, and identity. Clubs, no matter how rich in tradition, have a hard time attracting large numbers of international fans to their stadiums, especially in a country like the United States that does not have a deep soccer fan culture.
The choice of giant stadiums in the United States has exposed the risk of ticket sales falling short of expectations. FIFA had another option: smaller, more intimate venues that were easier to fill, and thus presented a more positive image. Instead, the organization chose the ambitious path – and now it must cling to Real Madrid to save face.
Infantino might argue that this is a test for the 2026 World Cup, just as the Confederations Cup was a preview of previous World Cups. But every experiment has its limits. If matches played in empty stadiums continue, fans will inevitably ask: Who is FIFA making this tournament for?
Real Madrid may help FIFA get through the first Club World Cup in its new format without being considered a failure. But it is also a warning: club football cannot be “sold” using the formula of national team football. And FIFA cannot always expect a “second Real Madrid” to rescue unrealistic decisions in the future.
Source: https://znews.vn/fifa-giu-mat-mui-nho-real-madrid-post1561930.html
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