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After a group stage played in front of more than one million empty seats, the Club World Cup moves on to the knockout rounds that could soon resemble a Champions League clone.

Nine teams that advanced to the round of 16 are from Europe along with four from Brazil and one each from Major League Soccer, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

About 56.7 per cent of publicly listed capacity was filled for the 48 group stage matches, which included crowds of 3,412 and 6,730 in Orlando, Florida; 5,282 and 8,239 in Cincinnati.

Fans
There were plenty of empty seats for this match in Pasadena. (EPA PHOTO)
FIFA did not provide specific capacities for the tournament despite repeated requests from The Associated Press.

Total announced attendance was 1.67 million from 2.95 million capacity, an average of 34,746.

Just 44.9 per cent was filled for five matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the site of next year's World Cup final, and 50 per cent at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where the 1994 championship game was played.

Among other 2026 sites, 81.8 per cent of capacity was filled in Miami Gardens, Florida, 61.6 per cent in Philadelphia, 52 per cent in Seattle and 44.3 per cent in Atlanta.

FIFA spokesman Bryan Swanson did not respond to a request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the tournament and attendance.

A handful of fans wave Fluminense fans flags during their clash against Mamelodi Sundowns in Miami. (AP PHOTO)
FIFA issued a statement that said: "The appetite of the tournament speaks for itself: fans from 168 countries have already purchased tickets ... a clear sign of global anticipation and reach."

The 12 games televised with English commentary on TNT, TBS and truTV averaged 360,000 viewers through Monday, including 409,000 for seven matches on nights and weekends.

The second round opens Saturday with an all-Brazilian matchup of Palmeiras and Botafogo, followed by Chelsea-Benfica later in the day.

Sunday starts with the high-profile meeting of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi against European champions Paris Saint-Germain and is followed by Bayern Munich-Flamengo.

Inter Milan-Fluminese and Manchester City-Al Hilal are on Monday, and Real Madrid-Juventus and Borussia Dortmund-Monterrey on Tuesday.

European teams won 16 of the 17 previous editions of an eight-team Club World Cup, the lone exception a 2012 victory by Brazil's Corinthians over Chelsea.

Five of the 12 stadiums being used are sites for next year's World Cup, which will have 104 matches instead of 64 and many more games lacking prestigious teams and players.

There were five weather delays in the Club World Cup group stage and temperatures at times rose well over 90 degrees (32 Celsius), a sign that climate change could impact next year's World Cup. However, four of the stadiums for next year's tournament have roofs and climate control.

Source: Yahoo Sports

Additional Image sources: BBC & ESPN

Trump follow do that one with ICE pursuing immigrants up and down and the high cost of tickets at the start of the tournament

Nbotee:
Trump follow do that one with ICE pursuing immigrants up and down and the high cost of tickets at the start of the tournament

Exactly! Apart from the scorching heat and lack of interest in football by the general population, Hispanics/Latinos that are the top fans of football in USA are currently hiding away from ICE agents. The fact that North/central America cup of nations (CONCACAFF gold cup) is also being hosted in same USA kind of stretched the viewership even thinner. Next CWC must be hosted in Europe

Lol no matter how dy overhype it. It won't still garner view or rival champions league

USA is a wrong place to host clubs football event.

Bring this to Europe or Asia and see a significant number of spectators.

Expensive seats and all the immigration wahala don pursue fans

Social media is changing the consumption habits of people. Why be there physically if I can get a convenient experience in my living room? Blame the pandemic for making humans smarter on deciding what to spend money on.

It is expected cos many teams do not have affluent fans like Europe and seats are sold to fans. Even if a Nigerian club was playing at the final their will be empty seats

You can't host something of such prestige in a no favorable place and expect results. Getting access to US these days is not a child's play and the weather is not favorable to them, hence the sparse attendance. Next time they should concentrate more on preempting and doing thorough feasibility test so well, instead of spending much time talking about war in other countries and throwing bomb to another man's country. It's well.

This tournament should be discontinued. Just watch out, must of the clubs that participate in this tournament will have a bad season come next season.

Nigeria qualify?


Not enough original content
Please take a moment to write a quality post with at least 40 characters.
This will make the forum more interesting for everyone.

Lol! FIFA is behaving like the average Capitalist institutions.

How càn Players play from August to June, only for you to deny them the usual July rest??

This is cruelty. Only after profit and money at the detriment of Player's health.
Expect so many injuries next season and also during the National World Cup.

America wasn't really the best place to host such tournament at this time

meobizy:
Social media is changing the consumption habits of people. Why be there physically if I can get a convenient experience in my living room? Blame the pandemic for making humans smarter on deciding what to spend money on.

Not entirely true. Must Europe base clubs do have there season ticket sold out even before the season begins. This fact is post Covid 19.

Lol European Football ( Soccer) is not an America thing...


If you ask an American citizen they don't even know who's Ronaldo or Messi....



Anything apart from all doz NFL,NBA, College football na waste of time to Americans even Texas that's good with anything football doesn't have any idea about European Football (Soccer)...

come watch match make trump send u back to ur village

Disenfranchised:
This tournament should be discontinued. Just watch out, must of the clubs that participate in this tournament will have a bad season come next season.

They will just continue and record losses rather than stop or discontinue it. This will teach the organisers a lesson on where to host a high-profile event in a politically charged world.

a very unnecessary competition they should have left it the way it was

to complete the remaining characters

Trump just made America no longer interesting place to visit.

He literally De marketed the American Dream and everything we loved about America.

Trump intentions are good
But his way of executing his ideas are extremely terrible.

America is the worst place to host this tournament

muyico:
Nigeria qualify?

4 African teams qualified. Mamelodi sundowns, Wydad Casablanca, Al Ahly and Esperance Tunis. Sadly all 4 crashed at the group stages. Hopefully our league teams would have performed well enough to qualify for the next one (if there'll be a next one).

yemmit90:
USA is a wrong place to host clubs football event.

Bring this to Europe or Asia and see a significant number of spectators.

YyyyyyyyyyYeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssss

Take it to France or England if you want the stadiums filled from day 1 till the end end

fkelly:
come watch match make trump send u back to ur village

Hahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣hahahahahohohohohohehehehehehihihihiho

Whoever brought the idea of hosting it in the US should be fired.

Wetin concern US and football?

When will footballers rest rubbish competition

Americans don't watch football called Soccer in Yankee. The immigrants especially from South America that watch are chased away by Trumpy Baba. Sad times for American soccer.

meobizy:
Social media is changing the consumption habits of people. Why be there physically if I can get a convenient experience in my living room? Blame the pandemic for making humans smarter on deciding what to spend money on.

You're right, imagine sitting at the back seat that the players will appear like ants to you but could only have a better view on big screen ?

Why don't you watch it in the comfort of your home or with friends in a bar where you will have better experience with less cost ?

In a country where baseball and basketball are the most popular sports.... soccer as they call it is relegated.

Only their women take it seriously.

former liverpool coach jurgen kloop say this championship na waste of time

meobizy:
Social media is changing the consumption habits of people. Why be there physically if I can get a convenient experience in my living room? Blame the pandemic for making humans smarter on deciding what to spend money on.

The world cup is a festival, people physically go there not necessarily to watch the match but the after party which involve huge performances from renowned DJs like David guetta, Martin garrix, Calvin harris etc. The best of electronic dance on display just like the Ultra festivals etc. Its trump rules that have crippled it for America because right now ICE is deporting even people on Green card once you have committed an offense. The world cup will also be a flop in America in 2026, but Mexico & Canada will hold it down. Any immigrant looking for a foreign wife/husband should go there.

NextPresido:
Expensive seats and all the immigration wahala don pursue fans

Let's see if it will improve next year at the WC.

3 more characters to cook soup

Bring it to Nigeria, their will be artificial public holiday while the tournament last.