FIFA defends Club World Cup ticket sales after another low turnout
Just 3,412 people attended the match in Orlando between Ulsan HD of South Korea and South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, after 22,317 watched Chelsea's opening game against Los Angeles FC in Atlanta, in a stadium which can hold up to 71,000 people.
The competition has been controversial since its inception and has triggered legal action from domestic leagues and player unions against FIFA over what they see as a lack of consultation by the global governing body over fixture decisions.
NEWS: FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ nears 1.5 million tickets sold milestone
The new FIFA Club World Cup™ has started with a powerful demonstration of club football's global appeal, as over 340,000 fans have generated electric atmospheres, passionate support, and unforgettable… pic.twitter.com/EAC55p19oO
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 17, 2025
There have been some big crowds – with more than 80,000 people watching Paris St Germain's victory over Atletico Madrid in Pasadena – and FIFA said on Tuesday that close to 1.5 million tickets had so far been sold.
FIFA said 340,000 fans had attended the first eight matches, which it said was a 'powerful demonstration of club football's global appeal'. It said four of the five top-selling group stage matches were still to come.
Manchester City make their tournament bow against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca on Wednesday evening.
The prize money on offer is huge, with City or Chelsea standing to earn almost £100million if they win it.
Despite that, former City defender Danny Mills described the competition as 'pointless'.
He told William Hill Vegas: 'I don't get it and I don't understand what kudos it brings.
'It might be a nice day out for the minnows like Auckland City FC, but for players from the top clubs, like Paris St Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City, at the end of their careers, they are not going to care if they won the Club World Cup or not.
'It's a made-up competition for FIFA to make money, it's as simple as that. There is no prestige in winning the competition whatsoever.
'I don't really know if many people are watching it but there doesn't seem to be much interest in the matches at all. It's an unnecessary tournament.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Flamengo vs Chelsea: Get £50 in Club World Cup free bets with Betfred
CHELSEA and Brazilian side Flamengo, who both enjoyed winning starts at the Club World Cup, clash at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday. And brand new Betfred customers can claim a fantastic £50 in free bets and bonuses when they sign-up and stake a tenner on the intriguing encounter. Flamengo vs Chelsea: Get £50 free bets HERE * New to Betfred? Then you can claim this incredible offer. Simply visit the Betfred website using this link HERE* and register a new account using the Promo Code: BETFRED50 Then you just need to deposit and stake £10 on any football market at odds of Evens or greater. When that first bet has settled -- win or lose -- Betfred will credit your account with the following free bets; 3 x £10 to use on any Sportsbook Markets 2 x £10 to use on Accumulators (4+ selections) Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – GambleAware – Read our guide on responsible gambling practices. For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. *Betfred. New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Moment referee enforces new rule for the first time EVER in football at Club World Cup as officials launch crackdown on much-maligned issue
A referee enforced a new rule for the first time ever at the Club World Cup on Tuesday night. Korean side Ulsan HD and South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns faced each other in a Group F clash that was played out in front of a little over 3,000 fans at a 25,500-seater stadium in Orlando. It was a largely forgettable contest until a never-before-seen moment occurred in the 83rd minute. With Mamelodi 1-0 up and looking to hold onto their advantage, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams claimed the ball in his penalty box and proceeded to attempt to run down the clock. He bounced the ball once and looked around before booting the ball upfield, but the referee's whistle went to penalise him for holding onto the ball for longer than eight seconds. Refereeing chiefs announced recently that they would be introducing a new rule at the Club World Cup that would see a corner awarded to the opposition if the goalkeeper holds the ball for eight seconds or more, and it was enforced by Clement Turpin on Tuesday night. ¡LA REGLA DE LOS 8 SEGUNDOS SE APLICA POR PRIMERA VEZ EN EL MUNDIAL DE CLUBES! ⏱️ El portero tardó en sacar y Turpin, siguiendo el reglamento, lo sancionó con córner en contra 👀 @FIFACWC | Todos los partidos gratis en #TakeItToTheWorld — DAZN Fútbol (@DAZNFutbol) June 18, 2025 The referee is supposed to hold up his fingers for the goalkeeper to show that he is counting down, and Turpin signalled that he had done this as he ran towards Williams to explain his decision. Fortunately for Williams, the corner came to nothing and Mamelodi held on for a 1-0 win, but it could have been a costly error. Time-wasting by goalkeepers has become a much-maligned issue in football, with fans growing increasingly frustrated with them holding onto the ball for lengthy periods to take time out of the game. Some shot-stoppers even flop to the ground and lie on the ball for what feels like an eternity, yet they very rarely get punished. On this occasion, Williams was caught out but his time-wasting did not lead to a goal. Williams rose to fame at last year's Africa Cup of Nations when he saved four penalties in South Africa's quarter-final shootout win over Cape Verde. South Africa were subsequently knocked out on penalties by Nigeria in the semi-finals. Williams has now returned to the spotlight for his role in a unique moment, and will hope not to be penalised again for the rest of the tournament.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Flamengo vs Chelsea preview: Free betting tips, odds and predictions for the Club World Cup
CHELSEA and Brazilian side Flamengo, who both enjoyed winning starts at the Club World Cup, clash at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday. SunSport betting experts have previewed the contest and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners. Flamengo vs Chelsea preview Chelsea will be aiming to build on their solid start to the Club World Cup when they face Brazilian side Flamengo in Philadelphia on Friday. The Blues opened their campaign with a routine 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC, played out in front of a sparse crowd. Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez sealed the win, while summer signing Liam Delap caught the eye with an impressive 30-minute cameo. The £30 million recruit marked his debut with an assist, offering supporters a glimpse of his potential in blue. Manager Enzo Maresca named a near full-strength XI for the opener, and he's expected to stick with a similar line-up for the tougher test against Flamengo. Some rotation may come in Chelsea's final group fixture against Esperance de Tunis, provided they take care of business on Friday. Despite the win, it's hard to draw too many conclusions from the LAFC game, with the MLS side currently fifth in the Western Conference. Chelsea also benefited from favourable conditions, playing in a climate-controlled venue, while their next two matches are just a short distance from their training base in Philadelphia. So they should be in good shape to take on a sterner test in Flamengo. The Brazilian side, top of their domestic league after 11 games, began their campaign with a commanding 2-0 win over Esperance. They arrive excellent form, unbeaten in 15 of their last 16 matches across all competitions and riding a five-game winning streak. Under the guidance of former Chelsea full-back Filipe Luís, Flamengo have been rock-solid at the back too - keeping seven clean sheets in their last eight. They also have another familiar face in Jorginho, who made 213 appearances for the Blues. Flamengo vs Chelsea preview betting tips and predictions Goals? Unlikely I'd like to predict a goal-frenzy in Philadelphia on Friday but chances of that are looking slim. As mentioned, much of Flamengo's recent success has been built on their solid defence - which has returned seven clean sheets in their last eight matches. They've also conceded exactly one big chances in their last three combined. As for Chelsea, only one of their last six games has witnessed both teams on the scoresheet, while five of their last six has yielded Under 2.5 goals. 1st Home Goalscorer If Flamengo are to score, and chances are they will given they've blanked just once in their last 12, it's more than likely to come from Giorgian de Arrascaeta. The Uruguayan, 31, opened the scoring against Esperance in their Club World Cup opener - and now has four goals in his last six for club and country. Arrascaeta has 13 goals and six assists in 27 appearances this season and is more than capable of making his mark against European opposition on Friday. Terms and conditions *Midnite: 18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. *William Hill. 18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. *New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply. *BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned T&Cs apply. 18+ *talkSPORT BET. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. | Please gamble responsibly *Parimatch. 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. No cash-out. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 20 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. | Please gamble responsibly *Tote. New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. One welcome offer per customer. Bet a minimum of £/€10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place) within 7 days of registration to qualify. Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 sports Free Bet and 20 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet slip. 7-day expiry. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply.
