FIFA celebrates Club World Cup: Trump thanks and Klopp counterattack in focus!

FIFA celebrates Club World Cup: Trump thanks and Klopp counterattack in focus!

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has thanked US President Donald Trump for his support of the Club World Cup, which is currently taking place in the USA. According to Infantino, this support is crucial to the success of the tournament with 32 participants and the upcoming World Cup with 48 national teams in Canada, Mexico and the USA. The President of FIFA described the Club World Cup as the “most successful club competition in the world” and pointed out that there are many impressive figures behind this success. According to Schwarzwälder Bote, a total of 2.5 million viewers were counted at 63 games played, which is an average of 40,000 spectators per game.

However, Infantino has faced criticism, particularly from Jürgen Klopp, who has described the new Club World Cup format as the “worst idea”. To counter this criticism, Infantino highlighted the tournament's key financial figures. Accordingly, sales amounted to $2.1 billion, with an average of $33 million per game. In addition, prize money amounting to one billion dollars will be awarded to the participants, with the final victory being rewarded with 40 million dollars. Infantino stressed that government support is crucial for large events.

Ticket sales and viewership

The number of spectators on the first three match days of the Club World Cup is promising, although many stadiums remain mostly empty and the atmosphere is described as modest. FIFA reports that there were over 340,000 spectators in the stadiums, with around 40% of those attending the best-attended matches. These games include Inter Miami against Al Ahly with 60,927 spectators and PSG's clash against Atlético Madrid, which attracted 80,619 spectators, reports [Focus].

A total of 12 games have been played up to this point, which attracted 432,990 spectators, which corresponds to a stadium occupancy of 53.22% with a total capacity of 813,594 seats. FIFA has adjusted ticket prices depending on demand through a “dynamic pricing system.” For example, prices were reduced from $349 to $80 to reach a broader audience base. Students were even able to purchase tickets for $20 and were allowed to bring four friends.

Conclusion and future perspectives

Although FIFA is proud of its successful ticket sales and international audience, the low attendance at certain games and the critical voices show that the format remains controversial. While almost 1.5 million tickets were sold for the 63 games up to the final on July 13th, it remains to be seen how the perception of the Club World Cup will develop in the long term and whether the popularity can continue in the coming match days. Despite the criticism, Infantino remains optimistic and sees government support as an essential pillar for the continued success of FIFA tournaments.