FIFA's Club World Cup branded a ‘disaster' with less than 600 fans in attendance at 25,500-seater stadium in Orlando - amid calls for Gianni Infantino to ‘face repercussions'

Daily Mail​

5 hours ago

A Club World Cup game appeared to be set to reach a new low for poor attendance at the new-look FIFA club competition, with fewer than 1,000 fans in the stands ahead of a weather-delayed kick-off on the third day of the competition.
The expanded and relaunched tournament has been plagued by concerns over interest and ticket sales in the build-up to its opening match between Lionel Messi 's Inter Milan and Al-Ahly on Sunday - despite massive investment from the governing body as it seeks to make the Club World Cup the premier international tournament.
Chelsea 's opening match against Los Angeles FC, played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, was more than three-quarters empty with just 22,000 fans inside the 75,000-capacity venue.
General admission tickets were on sale for £38 but such was the lack of interest that the entire top tier of the stadium was closed.
As a result, ticket prices are being slashed across the competition, with local college students able to pick up a seat at the tournament opener for as little as $20.
Mail Sport reported this week that fears over the apparent lack of fans at top-tier matches have even forced the tournament to move fans to ensure that empty seats are not caught by television cameras.
I count 97 people at Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns here in Orlando
This has to be the worst attendance of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup so far? pic.twitter.com/2TkHskwMC4
— Maher Mezahi (@MezahiMaher) June 17, 2025
Ahead of kick-off the stands at the Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida were nearly empty
But few of the FIFA hierarchy will have predicted as disappointing a turnout as at the Inter & Co Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
Journalist Maher Mezahi reported on social media that ahead of kick-off between South Korean side Ulsan and South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns, there were just 97 people inside the 25,000 capacity venue.
With 10 minutes to go before the match starter, Mezahi shared that he believed just 557 fans had made it to the game, with fewer than 1,000 predicted to make it for match action.
But the game was paused before it could begin, with teams forced inside due to a weather delay - eventually starting their clash just over an hour late.
Fans on social media predicted that even fewer may have turned out, with one posting: 'This FIFA Club World Cup is an absolute disaster for the smaller teams. How many fans are in Orlando? 200?'
Another added: 'Seen bigger crowds at non-league football grounds than this match in Orlando for the Club World Cup...'
A third pointed out the potential for consequences for such low attention, wondering: 'If it's true that there are less than 1,000 people at Ulsan vs Sundowns in the Club World Cup then that's mad.
'I've just watched now and can barely make out a crowd at all.
'If attendances continue to be that low, surely Infantino will face repercussions??? (laughing cry face) who am I kidding, the king won't depose himself (laughing cry face).'
Tickets for the tournament have been sold under a dynamic pricing model, which sees prices determined by demand.
Lowered costs for tickets to the Inter Miami opening clash at Miami's Hard Rock Arena in a bid to fill the seats, with FIFA eventually selling out just over 60,000 seats at the 65,000-capacity stadium.
Despite the apparent lack of interest on the ground in the United States, the prize pot teams can expect a share of is indicative of FIFA's interest in making the tournament the jewel in its crown.
An eye-watering £775m is up for grabs, with £20m guaranteed for European teams simply for attending the competition.
Clubs will make £1.5m for every group-stage victory, and £800,000 for every draw.
A last-16 win comes with a £6m bonus with the prize money rising to £30m-plus from there.
FIFA told Mail Sport ahead of the start of the competition that interest in the tournament was clear based on the global fanbase flocking to the USA to watch matches in person.
'We anticipate great attendances and electric atmospheres at its inaugural edition, with excitement growing with every round of matches and the tournament ultimately standing as the undisputed pinnacle of club world football,' a statement read.
'The appetite speaks for itself: fans from over 130 countries have already purchased tickets.
'The top 10 markets are led by the United States, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal - a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.'
But not everyone has been won over by FIFA's overtures, with LaLiga president Javier Tebas hitting out at the competition on Tuesday.
'My goal is to ensure there are no more Club World Cups, that's very clear,' the 62-year-old said. 'There's no need for yet another competition that moves money to a sector of clubs and players and comes from somewhere.
'There's no more money here; we have to maintain the ecosystem and eliminate it.
'Keep it as it was before, which was a weekend. There's no way, neither in terms of dates, nor economics, nor maintaining the sustainability of football.'
The LaLiga president admitted he had watched 25 minutes of Chelsea's 2-0 win over Los Angeles but criticised the fixture for looking like 'a preseason friendly', adding 'I didn't see any intensity'.