Liverpool interested in £35m world champion
According to L'Equipe, the Reds are interested in the French forward.
The 27-year-old has it difficult to translate his form at Leipzig over to Chelsea and so just two years after his initial move, the signs are suggesting that he could be headed out the door this summer.
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He's averaging a goal contribution every 125 minutes, but 10 of his 23 goals and assists have come in the Conference League, which the Blues won at the end of last season, beating Real Betis 4-1.
In the latest Club World Cup campaign, he delivered a mixture of performances. At times, he was looking promising, to such an extent that Chelsea fans considered the idea that he might remain at the club for next season, but it appears as though he is still headed elsewhere.
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New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
Liverpool are right to test Newcastle's resolve – Alexander Isak would be a dream signing
Liverpool certainly can't be accused of lacking ambition. Just a month after shattering their transfer record to sign playmaker Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee potentially rising to £116million ($155m), the Premier League champions are prepared to go even higher to land the No 9 of their supporters' dreams. Advertisement There has been no formal offer submitted to Newcastle United for Alexander Isak, but Liverpool have communicated their interest to do a deal for around £120m. Newcastle remain adamant that the prolific Sweden international, who has three years remaining on his contract, is not for sale. However, they have plenty to ponder, as they work on a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike for around £65million. If Newcastle refuse to sell Isak for what would be a British record fee, then there's the prospect of Liverpool switching their attention to Ekitike instead. That's a race they would be confident of winning, but so far haven't formally entered. The 23-year-old Frenchman enjoyed an excellent 2024-25 season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions. Frankfurt have been holding out for a package worth around £90million. What's clear is that something has to give because talk of Newcastle retaining Isak as well as signing Ekitike looks increasingly unlikely. It remains to be seen whether Isak will now agitate for the move and what impact it would have on Newcastle's stance if he does. Profit and sustainability rules (PSR) also have to be considered, given the huge profit the club would pocket on the £60m fee they paid Real Sociedad for Isak three years ago. Senior Anfield figures have long since known that trying to sign the 25-year-old this summer would be difficult, especially after Newcastle secured the financial windfall of qualification for the coming season's Champions League. However, they are right to test his club's resolve because Isak is the most complete centre-forward around. You don't move on to Plan B until you're absolutely sure Plan A is out of reach. The answer to that will be known soon enough. Only Liverpool's own Mohamed Salah (29) bettered his total of 23 Premier League goals last season, and an overall return of 62 in 109 matches for Newcastle is impressive. Liverpool suffered at Isak's hands as he scored in the 3-3 league draw at St James' Park in December and repeated the trick three months later in Newcastle's Carabao Cup final triumph at Wembley. He got goals against Liverpool in each of his two previous seasons in English football, too. With his movement, his athleticism and his clinical edge, he would be the perfect addition to head coach Arne Slot's side. Advertisement Potential transfers remain a sensitive subject at Liverpool after the death of Diogo Jota, alongside his brother Andre Silva, in a car accident in Spain earlier this month. Players and staff are still coming to terms with the loss of a much-loved colleague and friend. It's far from business as usual as they prepare to fly out on Sunday for a two-game pre-season tour to Hong Kong and Japan. But the pursuit of a new No 9 has been on the agenda all summer, with Darwin Nunez set to move on. The Uruguayan has attracted interest from Italy's Napoli and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal. Sporting director Richard Hughes has also been dealing with Bayern Munich's ongoing pursuit of Luis Diaz. The Bundesliga champions had a bid of around £59million rejected on Tuesday, with Liverpool adamant the Colombian is not for sale. The 28-year-old enjoyed the best of his three full seasons with them in 2024-25 with 17 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions and Liverpool regard Al Hilal's failed €100m (£87m) pursuit of Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes earlier this summer as setting the market value for a player of his stature. Diaz is keen to take on a new challenge but has two years left on his contract and needs to consider the optics of trying to force a move in the current climate surrounding Liverpool if he doesn't want to damage his relationship with the fanbase. There is little doubt, however, that the pursuit of Isak so soon after the eye-catching acquisition of Wirtz illustrates their determination to build on winning the Premier League title in Slot's debut season. Signing Jeremie Frimpong (€35million), Milos Kerkez (£40m), Giorgi Mamardashvili (£25m) and Armin Pecsi (£1.5m), along with Wirtz, had already made this the biggest transfer window spend in Liverpool's history. While they have raised up to £64m from sales (a figure that will soon grow), taking their outlay to beyond £300m by acquiring Isak too would be a remarkable statement of intent. Advertisement Like Wirtz before him, Isak would be another example of them buying the finished article. Previously, Liverpool hadn't done that since Alisson arrived from Roma in summer 2018, one window after the equally transformative signing of Virgil van Dijk. During the Jurgen Klopp era, Liverpool largely bought potential and sought to develop players until they got into the world-class bracket. Kerkez, 21, fits into that category — a decent level of elite experience but with a high ceiling to make further progress. Frimpong has a weightier track record but is still young too at 24 and has time and scope to get better than he was for Leverkusen. But Wirtz and Isak are the kind of elite performers who would walk into any top team. Their hefty pricetags underline that. The prospect of Wirtz playing behind a front three of Salah, Isak and either Diaz or Cody Gakpo is mouthwatering. If the Swede cannot be secured, Ekitike would still offer a major upgrade on the club's current striker resources. Being able to even consider a deal like this is a mark of where Liverpool are at currently. Matchday revenues have moved to an all-time high as they feel the benefits of a redeveloped, 61,000-capacity Anfield, commercially they are continuing to expand with the new Adidas kit deal kicking in at the end of the month, and media income went through the roof off the back of their return to the Champions League last season. Winning the Premier League again further enhanced the landscape and they have much more leeway to spend this summer, having largely kept their powder dry in the market a year ago. With both the pulling power and the financial muscle, Liverpool can afford to reach for the stars. Isak would lift what is already the top flight's most potent attack to new heights.
New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
What lessons can be learned from the Club World Cup for the 2026 World Cup?
At Trump Tower, the new home of FIFA in Manhattan, Gianni Infantino hailed the Club World Cup a 'huge, huge, huge success' on Saturday. The president of soccer's world governing body later posted on Instagram that the tournament had 'taken over the United States and united people in joy'. FIFA has been on a victory lap since Chelsea's 3-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's final in front of an 81,118 crowd at MetLife Stadium, a few miles to the west in New Jersey. Advertisement When asked, U.S. President Donald Trump referred to the popularity of the tournament, which had a total attendance of 2.49million. It concluded with four massive matches at MetLife in its last nine days, capped by the final bringing in the highest attendance of the competition. As for the entertainment that delayed kick-off in the final — plus the extended half-time show — The Athletic has been told the combined cost topped $10million. FIFA says it does not discuss specific budget line items. 'We are excited for the future,' Infantino said, adding a 'big year of football awaits us in the Americas' as he promised the 'biggest ever World Cup' in 2026. That tournament will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico but 75 per cent of the 104 matches will be played in the U.S. — including all those from the quarter-finals onwards. Meg Kane, the World Cup host city executive in Philadelphia, told The Athletic the Club World Cup has been the 'perfect 'amuse bouche'' for next summer, when the expanded 48-team tournament — up from the 32 who qualified for the previous seven editions — will descend on North America. Phil Murphy, the governor of New Jersey, told the Global Game summit last week the World Cup final at MetLife next July 19 will be 'the most watched event in human history', claiming the eight matches to be played at the venue, combined with the 39-day tournament overall, will drive 'mid-single-digit billions of dollars' into the New York/New Jersey economy. But what lessons have FIFA, coaches, players and fans learned from the Club World Cup that can help the World Cup run smoothly? One of the biggest talking points during the tournament was the weather. A heatwave in the middle of the tournament, combined with local kick-off times at noon and 3pm (to attract prime-time European and Middle Eastern TV audiences), produced conditions that pushed players to their limits. Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold complained it was impossible to 'think straight' and that he was 'overheating' during afternoon games in Miami, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina, while Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez called the temperatures 'very dangerous'. 'For the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home, the game, the speed of the game, is not the same — everything becomes very slow.' Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca warned it was impossible to train beyond basic warm-ups on some days, while the London team deployed huge industrial fans by the side of the pitch and cooling sprays to try to mitigate the scalding temperatures. Niko Kovac, coach of German side Borussia Dortmund, said that 'players should not have to work in the midday sun when it is (so hot) you should not even leave your house'. Advertisement Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global soccer development, acknowledged the heat was a 'problem in some games'. He said the introduction of cooling breaks and intense pitch-watering had helped. He also pointed out next summer will see more stadiums with roofs being used — as venues in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston will be included having not been part of the Club World Cup — but MetLife, which will stage the final, is not covered and there were several days of lightning storms in the area during the tournament. Wenger also said kick-off times may be more 'sensitive'. It is not clear how this can be the case as the current schedule has 15 days where four matches will take place one after another and FIFA's usual preference would be to hold group-stage games — except in the final round, where those in the same section are played simultaneously — as standalone events, to ensure maximum value for the broadcasters. The new round-of-32 knockout stage also has five days of three fixtures per day. The wild swings in weather also saw disruption to games. Six matches were delayed, with the stoppages ranging from half an hour to two hours. Chelsea's round-of-16 match against Benfica took four hours and 38 minutes to complete, factoring in a 30-minute period of extra time, in a situation Maresca described as a 'joke'. The regulations currently mean play must be stopped if lightning is noted within a 10-mile radius of a stadium and cannot restart for 30 minutes after it has cleared. Some of FIFA's cast of legendary former players helping promote this summer's event have pushed the organisation to seek to reduce that radius but it is unclear if it will be permitted to do so on safety grounds. Wenger was less empathetic on the issue of the pitches, which at certain venues provoked severe criticism from coaches and players. Kovac was among those unhappy about the field at MetLife. He said: 'I can compare this pitch with two pitches (Dortmund also played on in) in Cincinnati and Atlanta. The grass quality is different than the other stadiums. You can putt here. It's very short. This is not the (type of) grass we are used to playing in the Bundesliga. Advertisement 'The watering wasn't good enough. Overall, for high-speed football, you need the right weather conditions but also when (the pitch) is too dry … it's unbelievable, it's sticking. I can't explain it. If you go out and test it, you will see.' One coach present at the tournament also told The Athletic that plastic underneath the temporary grass pitches laid for the Club World Cup was making the surfaces overheat at ground level at some venues and exacerbating the temperature issues. After the final, Chelsea captain Reece James concluded: 'The venue was top, the pitches not so good. Hopefully, there's some changes for the World Cup next year. I think the pitches, there's astro (artificial turf) underneath and maybe grass on top (this was the case in New Jersey and at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium). It's not the best for the body — for the joints and for the muscles. 'You will see higher-quality games and higher-quality football if we played on the surfaces which we play on in Europe.' In the months leading up to this tournament, Infantino claimed the Club World Cup and next year's World Cup combined would drive $47billion in economic impact for the United States. He also said in the White House, standing beside Trump, that millions of people would come to the U.S. to watch the Club World Cup, a claim that does not, at least anecdotally, appear to have transpired. Next year, this needs to be different if host cities are to claw back in economic impact the billions of dollars of federal money, and state and city taxpayer dollars, that have been invested. Outside visitors drive more value than domestic fans; they are more likely to book hotels, hire cars and use public transport, as well as spend money in restaurants, bars and at places of interest. Advertisement Governor Murphy said he is predicting 'one to two million visitors will be in the region' of New York and New Jersey during the tournament. Philadelphia's Kane says FIFA provided guidelines in around 2022 where it told cities chosen to host World Cup games to prepare for 500,000 people each on average coming in. FIFA was hoping for a 50-50 split of domestic and international travellers. Tourists are desired not just to fill stadiums but also fan festivals, which were not a feature of the Club World Cup, underlining how events were largely confined to venues. Murphy says the Liberty Park fan fest in his state will accommodate 45,000 people. It remains to be seen how Trump's trade wars, tariffs and attitude towards immigration may impact foreign visitors. However, in an interview with The Athletic last month, Republican Congressman Darin LaHood of Illinois said: 'I just saw some data that showed tourism from Canada to the United States is down 40 per cent. 'We've seen in a number of tourist destinations in the United States this year that tourism is down: in Las Vegas, New York and Florida.' U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data from the 16 largest international airports across the World Cup's three host nations (air travel only) indicated inbound visits to the U.S. were down 4.7 per cent in May 2025 versus May 2024. The hope of FIFA and the host cities is that the World Cup will have a longer runway to both sell tickets and market the competition. The Club World Cup did not have venues tied up until September, a broadcaster until December and sponsors were still coming onboard after the event began. Hospitality packages are already on sale for the World Cup, while public awareness of it is much greater than for the Club World Cup. The group-stage draw will take place in early December, with Las Vegas the likely venue, and FIFA will be keen to make it a national event. Despite a video message by Trump and the presence of his daughter Ivanka at the Club World Cup's group draw last December, there was little cut through. In the months leading up to the Club World Cup, FIFA spent over $50million on marketing the tournament, including a high spend on social media influencers and commercials, while Infantino's pre-competition tour of American cities and an interview with iShowSpeed failed to capture the imagination. Gianni Infantino let streamer iShowSpeed replace him as FIFA President for a minute during the Club World Cup 👀 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 15, 2025 More emphasis is expected to be placed on targeting local radio and television stations, which still have large audiences in the U.S., while the turnout from diaspora communities for South American and Middle Eastern teams is also likely to be a target for FIFA over the next year. Kane says of a possible World Cup draw in Vegas that she can 'only imagine how sexy it might be', adding: 'It has the opportunity to engage Americans in a really unique way; an enormous opportunity to turbocharge excitement. It is always hard to do a major event within the context of an NFL season (from September to February). But FIFA has a grand opportunity to be creative and to have fun with it and to bring the fans in and maybe let it be a little loose, a little crazy. Let people feel the energy. Advertisement ' If there's any lesson from the Club World Cup, it is that fans win the day. So lean into that.' There remains, however, a challenge to process fans in time for the tournament's start next June. Many will not book or buy tickets until they learn via December's draw where in the United States, Canada or Mexico their country will be playing in the group stage. That presents challenges for Colombians, for example, where the wait time for a U.S. tourist visa appointment is 15 months and Ecuadoreans, where it is 10 months, or Costa Ricans, who must wait nine and a half months. Multiple sources within the U.S. Department of State have previously warned The Athletic there are also concerns a 'non-insignificant' number of people who legitimately acquire tickets for the tournament could be refused visas. This is because the stringent vetting process for entry means possession of a World Cup ticket does not guarantee you are allowed into the country. Potential visitors must prove continuing ties with their home nation and convince consular officers they do not intend to overstay their tourist visa. Some countries, including Iran, are also on a travel ban list imposed by the Trump administration, which may see their fans denied the chance to travel for the tournament according to current rules, although there are exemptions for the teams and federation officials. At FIFA's congress in May, Infantino said everyone would be welcome in America: 'Of course, the players, of course, everyone involved, all of us, but definitely also all the fans.' Within a couple of weeks, the administration had implemented the travel bans. FIFA adopted a dynamic pricing approach to tickets, by which prices fluctuate in accordance with supply and demand. For high-interest sports and music events, this can lead to prices skyrocketing in value but during the Club World Cup, where not a single game was a complete sellout, these costs often tumbled instead due to lack of demand. Advertisement FIFA's early pricing was not well received by the U.S. market, with the cheapest seat for the tournament opener between Al Ahly and Inter Miami at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium being priced at $349 following the group-stage draw in December. Prices dropped to $55 in the week before the tournament began, and FIFA even offered five tickets in return for buying one $20 ticket to students at Miami-Dade College (a network of over 100,000 people). Similar deals emerged with different universities during the tournament as FIFA scrambled to avoid tens of thousands of empty seats becoming a regular occurrence. The group-stage games recorded an average of 35,000 spectators, but the size of the venues chosen, largely NFL stadiums with capacities over 60,000, left big gaps in the stands at too many matches. The dynamic-pricing market made for some absurd fluctuations. Standard admission pricing for the semi-final between Chelsea and Brazil's Fluminense at MetLife was reduced to just $13.40 on the weekend before last Tuesday's match, having been priced at $473.90 less than 72 hours earlier. That meant it could be cheaper to buy a ticket to the game than to buy a cheesesteak ($15) or a beer ($14) once you were inside the stadium. FIFA's volunteers for the tournaments also received emails offering them four complimentary tickets to all four quarter-finals, with the exception of Real Madrid's fixture against Dortmund, as FIFA sought to fill the stadiums. While the offer was appreciated by volunteers, it had not been planned in advance. Prices for the quarter-finals dropped to $11 for the two games involving Brazilian teams and to $44 for PSG's win over Bayern Munich of Germany, which contributed to a big uplift in the size of that crowd. Even prices for the final veered wildly. On July 2, the cheapest standard-admission ticket available was priced at $892, but by Sunday, the day of the game, they were available for $199. The final was not a sell-out but attracted over 80,000 spectators, while 16 of the 63 games had crowds of over 60,000. FIFA deserves credit for responding to the situation to increase access to its games, but having to do so represented a failure to understand the market by setting original prices so high. Advertisement Philadelphia's Kane, whose committee was not involved in organizing the Club World Cup despite their city hosting eight matches, told The Athletic at the end of the group stage: 'The lack of understanding around the tournament itself, coupled probably with the original pricing, potentially quelled some enthusiasm and or sales. That is anecdotally, from what I've heard. 'What I would say is that when we ran a community day, we were able to give out tickets to youth soccer clubs for Juventus against Al Wydad. This included a family special, where you bought one ticket, and got two tickets free for kids under the age of 16. What was so amazing was the feedback — people who had never been to a soccer match before who were absolutely blown away. 'Do I wish more people had that opportunity? Absolutely. I think we've learned a lot of lessons about how to get people into this. That's also why I think the fan festivals will be a huge part of the experience next summer. 'When we've provided FIFA with suggestions or outlets around how to promote tickets in a certain way, they are very amenable to that. Part of the work of this fall is to work with them on how can we be very supportive; to have those channels lined up, so if you want to turn them on, we can turn them on earlier.' FIFA is still intending to implement dynamic pricing next summer for standard-admission tickets and it remains to be seen whether those costs will reflect the challenges faced during the Club World Cup over the past month, or whether Infantino and company take the view that the World Cup is a premium product and worthy of sky-high demand. The sport's global governing body has projected $13billion in revenues for the four-year cycle ending with the 2026 World Cup, so don't expect prices to start low. The Club World Cup's final came with all the bells and whistles we might expect from a big sporting event in the United States, but such razzmatazz feels new to many European football fans. FIFA introduced NBA-style individual walk-ons for players before the game. This led to several games starting late (NBA teams have five players in their starting line-ups, not 11), while some players complained the delays disturbed their optimum physical preparation. Advertisement Some liked it, though. 'I think it's something special and new for us,' Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia told reporters. 'It's a first for us. I enjoyed it. Why not bring it to the Prem (Premier League)? The only difference is (if we did it in the Premier League), we might get a bit cold because once you're out there, you have to wait for maybe the other players. But apart from that, it was good.' His team-mate Levi Colwill said: 'It was something different, something new. When you come to America, you expect these things and it's a good experience.' Martin Anselmi, Portuguese side Porto's head coach at the tournament, said: 'It's a bit slow. I find it a bit strange. It seems like putting on a show for the sake of it. It seems a bit pointless.' Famed American boxing announcer Michael Buffer also boomed out his catchphrase 'Let's get ready to rumble!' before the final kicked off; and the pre-game love letter to America also included the singing of the national anthem, pyrotechnics and a military flyover. The final started seven minutes later than scheduled, such was the pomp and ceremony, including a performance by FIFA music ambassador Robbie Williams. The Athletic has been told the combined cost of that opening show and the one at half-time — which featured Chris Martin, Doja Cat, Tems and J Balvin performing on a stage built in the upper tier of the stadium — ran substantially beyond $10million. The biggest takeaway from the final, beyond the sport, was the dominant role played by Trump. He watched the full game, mingled with executives from FIFA, and the two clubs and was present for the pre-match national anthem and took part in the post-match medal and trophy presentations. He even did an interview with the tournament's host broadcaster DAZN, talking about the growth of soccer in the United States. Advertisement Infantino has courted the president, attending his pre-inauguration rally and January's inauguration and spending time with him at his Florida home, Mar-A-Lago. This despite Trump's trade wars with co-hosts Canada and Mexico, as well as his suggestions Canada should become part of the U.S. and his attempts to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. Trump has recently launched a White House Task Force to work on the World Cup chaired by himself and vice-chaired by his Vice-President J.D. Vance. His recent domestic policy bill approved $625million worth of funding for World Cup host cities to go towards security and other costs for the tournament, underlining once again how personally persuaded he appears to be of the merits of hosting the tournament. The bromance with Infantino shows no sign of letting up, with FIFA last week taking office space in Trump Tower. By now, it would be no surprise to see the president front and centre both during the World Cup's group draw at the end of the year and at various stages as the games are played next June and July. (Photos: Getty Images; design: Will Tullos)
New York Times
41 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘Brand Palmer', Chelsea and how they can use Club World Cup to build U.S. popularity
Cole Palmer was the face of Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign from the minute he stepped foot in the United States to the moment he got his hands on the trophy in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on Sunday night. The 23-year-old's match-winning performance against favourites Paris Saint-Germain in the final, where he scored two goals in a 3-0 win, cemented his status as the Premier League club's most important player, on and off the pitch. Advertisement For Palmer, whose face has been plastered over billboards in New York City, the Club World Cup triumph has the potential to work wonders for his commercial appeal, especially before the international World Cup taking place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico next year. 'Scary Good' was the tagline to a Palmer billboard in Times Square in the build-up to Sunday's final, and he more than lived up to that moniker. He had already achieved crossover — largely down to his endearing personality and a goal celebration that earned him the nickname 'Cold Palmer' — but he has now had his breakout moment on the global stage. And with under a year to go until next summer's World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the England international is uniquely positioned to capitalise on his Club World Cup success and continue to grow his commercial appeal in America. 'Twelve months ago, beyond the celebration, you didn't have any sort of big, high-profile performances that would define him and make him relevant to a U.S. audience,' Misha Sher, a global sports marketing expert and executive at WPP Media, tells The Athletic. 'You now have those two things.' Palmer's talent with a football, coupled with his personality, is a recipe for success when it comes to growing a following. He is adored for being his authentic self and regularly goes viral on social media for his unintentional one-liners. A clip from Sunday night, when a confused Palmer appears to say, 'Wait, wait, what is he doing?', before Chelsea captain Reece James lifts the Club World Cup trophy has been viewed millions of times. The 'he' Palmer was referring to is Donald Trump, the American president, who handed over the trophy and then decided to stay for the celebrations. He was not overtly trying to be funny, and yet another example of how he cuts through by simply being himself. Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 in the final to lift the Club World Cup, with Cole Palmer giving his side a two-goal advantage a third of the way through the tie 🏆 One person the winners didn't expect to see on stage for the trophy lift was US President Donald Trump… — Sky News (@SkyNews) July 14, 2025 For Sher, however, showing he can win and perform in the biggest moments is even more important than his ability to effortlessly generate engagement online. 'In the past, you would say he's got a quirky character, he's capable of some magic, and he's got a cool celebration,' Sher says. 'All of those are nice, but they fade in comparison to defining moments that can solidify your position in the hearts and minds of fans. Advertisement 'He was named player of the tournament and that takes him to a completely different sphere because Americans love a breakout star. He fits the profile that an American audience loves.' For next year's World Cup, Sher believes there will be 'major interest' in Palmer from American companies as his 'relevance is high' and there's a good chance he will 'get even bigger over the next 12 months'. 'There are moments that can define what happens next in a player's career,' Sher adds. 'You can use the success, attention and profile as a platform to build his brand. 'Rather than hoping that some of the brands will reach out to him, I would be proactively building a strategy to capitalise on this opportunity and grow Cole Palmer's brand in the U.S. — there will be so much appetite.' Sher cites the importance of Palmer working with 'some of the biggest media companies' in the U.S. over the next 12 months to 'keep that momentum going'. Palmer has already developed several notable endorsement deals, including with Burberry, the luxury British fashion house. He is also a Nike athlete and has done promotional work for EA FC, the football video game. Adrian Wright, a director at Sporting Group International and former commercial director at English Championship club West Bromwich Albion, explains one method Palmer and his team might use to grow his platform in America. 'He will have reports behind his Instagram account that would show what countries people are following him from, what's the age demographic,' Wright explains. 'An agency would identify brands linked to Palmer's social following, take that analysis and then identify brands relevant to that demographic.' A post shared by Nike Football (@nikefootball) It won't just be Palmer who may attempt to reap the benefits of a successful month in America, though. Chelsea should see this as a chance to supercharge their plans to grow in North America, a vital market for the club. The Athletic has detailed why the Premier League side are leaning heavily on their London heritage in marketing campaigns, hoping to capture a global audience, but there is nothing quite like lifting a trophy. 'If they can't leverage this win, then they never will,' says Wright. 'If I was a commercial director there, I would be switching all of our activity to the U.S. and just making sure that everybody knew about the win and what it means for them.' The room for growth at Chelsea was evident early in the tournament. Chelsea's group-stage match against Los Angeles FC, for example, was attended by just over 22,000 spectators at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which has a capacity of 71,000. Their last-16 win against Benfica attracted just under 26,000 fans at the Bank of America Stadium — only Fluminense's 2-0 win against Inter had a lower turnout (20,030 at the same ground) among the knockout-stage games. Before their semi-final against Fluminense, several Chelsea players, including Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, tried to shift tickets via their Instagram profiles. Advertisement It could be argued that FIFA's dynamic ticket pricing and poor ticket sales, at least in the early games, didn't help Chelsea — they weren't the only side to experience low attendances — but it does suggest they are yet to crack America. New York City's iconic Empire State Building was lit up in blue to mark the club's win, an example of the opportunity they have to cash in on previously unexplored commercial opportunities. A YouGov survey conducted between July 10 and July 13, which gathered just over 1,000 responses from adults in America, showed Chelsea are still behind Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Liverpool for popularity and fame in the U.S. Five per cent of respondents said they had a 'very favourable' view of Chelsea, while 11 per cent said their view was 'somewhat favourable'. Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona scored seven per cent on the 'very favourable' metric. However, the survey also highlighted how soccer in general still has plenty of room for growth in the U.S., with 62 per cent of the respondents saying they do not follow the sport and held no view on any of the clubs. During their time in America, Chelsea only held one fan engagement event, which took place in Manhattan on the eve of the final and was dubbed 'Legends Night'. Claude Makelele, a former Chelsea midfielder, attended and took part in a Q&A session. Manchester City, on the other hand, who were knocked out by Al Hilal in the last-16, held fan engagement events in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando, showing there is room for improvement for Chelsea when it comes to engaging their U.S. supporter groups. Chelsea say there are 100 different supporter groups in the U.S., with around 25,000 members, and that they are working on launching a new and improved supporters club programme for their overseas fans. 'They should use winning this trophy as a strategic platform,' Sher adds. 'They can tell the story of an exciting young squad that they built that, against all odds, beat this PSG machine, and beat them convincingly. 'They can take a leaf out of what PSG have done to build their brand in the U.S. and other parts of the world.' Chelsea's successful Club World Cup has earned them just over $114million (£85.2m) in participation and prize money — but there is undoubtedly plenty of commercial income still on the table, especially as they are yet to announce a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2025-26 season. All Premier League sides talk about the importance of growing their brands in America — Palmer and Chelsea have put themselves in a position to do exactly that.
