Latest news with #ClubWorldCup2025
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is FIFA's Club World Cup the Biggest Flop in Soccer History?
Is FIFA's Club World Cup the Biggest Flop in Soccer History? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025, set to dazzle in the U.S., is stumbling out of the gate with lackluster ticket sales, even after slashing group-stage prices by up to 50% [The Athletic]. Fans appear unmoved by the expanded 32-team tournament, leaving stadiums at risk of echoing emptiness. Supporters aren't buying the hype, or the $30 tickets, per The Athletic. Advertisement FIFA's bold revamp, hosting 63 matches across 11 American cities from June 14 to July 13, aimed to rival the Champions League's prestige [The Athletic]. Yet, despite featuring heavyweights like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, the tournament struggles to fill seats. Dynamic pricing, a controversial strategy adjusting costs based on demand, has backfired. High initial prices, some reaching $2200 for the final, alienated fans [The Athletic]. FIFA responded by cutting semi-final tickets to $140 and final tickets to $300, but empty seats loom large, especially at venues like the 90,000-capacity Rose Bowl. Manchester City, the 2023 champions, face Juventus, Wydad AC, and Al Ain in Group G, yet even their star power hasn't sparked demand [The Athletic]. Fans on X express frustration, with some calling the event a 'flop' and others skeptical about traveling across the U.S. for matches [X]. The lack of media buzz from outlets like BBC and Sky Sports further dims the tournament's shine per BBC, Sky Sports. LAFC secured their place among soccer's elite teams in the Club World CupPhoto byFIFA's marketing ties ticket packs to 2026 World Cup access, a desperate bid to boost sales. A standard pack offers two to three matches, while the Super Ticket Pack, covering 20 matches, guarantees a 2026 final ticket [The Athletic]. Still, fans remain wary, burned by high costs and logistical hurdles like travel and accommodation. Advertisement The tournament's timing, clashing with the CONCACAF Gold Cup, adds to the challenge. UEFA's frustration with FIFA's scheduling changes, noted by The Athletic, highlights organizational tensions [The Athletic]. Meanwhile, FIFA gifted 30,000 Los Angeles tickets to first responders, a move to fill seats amid the wildfires' aftermath. Social media posts on X reveal doubts about the tournament's value, with one user lamenting, 'Half-empty stadiums and terrible atmosphere' [X]. The lack of coverage from and UEFA's platforms underscores the event's struggle to capture attention per FIFA's $1 billion prize pool, with winners potentially earning $125 million, hasn't translated to fan excitement [The Athletic]. As the June kickoff nears, the Club World Cup risks becoming a costly misstep. Will FIFA's gamble on U.S. audiences pay off, or will this global showcase fizzle out? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea learn new Club World Cup opponent after team banned from competition
Chelsea and Manchester City will be among the 32 teams who will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup later this month and their first opponents have now been confirmed Chelsea will start their FIFA Club World Cup campaign against Los Angeles FC after the MLS outfit won a play-off game to take the place of the banned Club Leon. It emerged last month that Leon, the Blues' first opponents, would no longer be participating in the tournament due to the fact that their owners are also in charge of Pachuca, another of the team's featuring in the competition. With the Court of Arbitration for Sport then dismissing an appeal from Club Leon, it was confirmed that LAFC would face Club America in a one-off game to decide who would be given a golden ticket to the tournament, which officially gets underway on June 14. And after beating Club America 2-1 following extra-time, LAFC will now join Chelsea, Flamengo and Es Tunis in Group D. The MLS outfit will automatically bank $9.55 million for qualifying but could go on to rake in more from the total $1bn prize pot which is on offer between all 32 competing teams. For LAFC, their golden ticket to the United States was made only possible after the CAS upheld Fifa's original decision to exclude them earlier this month. The CAS confirmed the ruling in a statement, which read: 'As a result of the CAS ruling, FIFA is responsible for designating the final qualified team to participate in the Club World Cup 2025. The CAS Panel has issued an Operative Decision dismissing the three appeals and ruled that Pachuca and Club Leon failed to meet the criteria in the Regulations for the Fifa World Cup Club 2025 concerning multiple club ownership. 'The Panel examined the evidence, including the Club Leon trust set up by the owners of the club, and concluded that this trust was insufficient to comply with the Regulations. Consequently, Club Leon remains excluded from the competition and Pachuca remains qualified. 'A separate appeal by [Alajuelense] against Club Leon, Pachuca and Fifa, filed on 3 February 2025, requested that Club Leon and Pachuca's participation in the Club World Cup was contrary to Fifa regulations and that one of the clubs, or both, should be removed. 'The appeal also requested that [Alajuelense] should be admitted to the competition in place of a removed team. This case was heard by CAS in person in Madrid on 23 April 2025 and was also rejected today.' Enzo Maresca and Chelsea will head to the United States in buoyant mood after securing their spot in next season's Champions League and winning the Europa Conference League final.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Is Christiano Ronaldo featuring in 2025 Club World Cup with a team from Brazil or Morocco?
Christiano Ronaldo Club World Cup 2025. Image: Getty With the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 set to kick off in the United States on June 14, speculation around Cristiano Ronaldo's next move has reached fever pitch. While his current club, Al Nassr, failed to qualify for the tournament , finishing outside the AFC Champions League qualification zone , reports now suggest that the 40-year-old Portuguese legend might make a short-term move to a participating club for one final shot at global glory. Recent weeks have seen mounting interest from Brazilian clubs and even a surprise spark of excitement from Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca. Though no deal has been confirmed, the rumors are being fueled by cryptic hints, media reports, and even coach reactions. Moroccan hype: Wydad Casablanca and the Portuguese flag tease The latest rumor storm began when Spanish outlet Marca reported that Wydad Casablanca, one of Africa's four representatives at the Club World Cup, had emerged as a surprise contender to land Cristiano Ronaldo for the month-long tournament. The spark? A video posted by Wydad's official social media account showing the Portuguese flag, which fans immediately interpreted as a veiled reference to Ronaldo. The teaser ignited speculation that the Casablanca-based club might be hinting at a blockbuster short-term signing of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. However, sources close to the club were quick to temper expectations. 'It was just a friendly talk between Wydad's president and an agent close to Ronaldo, without going beyond informal discussions,' a source told Reuters on May 22. Wydad club president Hicham Aït Menna went further, telling SNRTNews that the club neither has the intention nor the financial capability to pursue such a deal. Despite this, fan speculation remains high , in part due to the marketing potential of a Cristiano Ronaldo appearance. RMC Sport reported that FIFA itself is interested in securing Ronaldo's participation in the Club World Cup, recognizing the promotional value of having football's two biggest names , Ronaldo and Messi , both involved. Wydad are drawn in Group G alongside Manchester City (June 18), Juventus (June 22), and Al Ain (June 26). Should they sign Ronaldo, it would mean going head-to-head with the Premier League champions and European giants , a spectacle fans and sponsors alike would crave. Brazilian clubs join the race Alongside the Moroccan speculation, Marca also reported that an unnamed Brazilian club has made a lucrative offer to bring Ronaldo in for the Club World Cup. While the club wasn't named, four Brazilian teams are in the tournament: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Botafogo. Though details remain scarce, Botafogo manager Renato Paiva gave an intriguing response when asked directly about the rumors: 'Christmas is only in December... But if he came, you can't say no to a star like that,' Paiva said with a smile. He went on to emphasize the respect Ronaldo still commands: 'I don't know anything. I'm just answering the question. But, as I said, coaches always want the best. Ronaldo is still a prolific goal scorer at his advanced age. He would flourish on a team that generates opportunity after opportunity.' Paiva then deflected the matter to Botafogo's top brass, hinting at possible involvement from club owner John Textor: 'This question needs to be asked in another language,' he joked, referencing Textor's American ownership. Of the four Brazilian teams, Palmeiras is the most intriguing possibility , should Ronaldo join them, he would face Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in the group stage, creating a tantalizing clash between two of the game's biggest icons. Uncertainty at Al Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo's future is uncertain at Al Nassr, who finished a disappointing season without silverware and outside of AFC Champions League qualification. Ronaldo's £164 million-per-year deal is set to expire on June 30, 2025, with no extension confirmed yet. Despite being the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League this season with 24 goals, his presence hasn't been enough to carry Al Nassr to trophies. The club sits in third place, guaranteed, with no path forward in Asia's top competition. Chelsea, Inter Miami, and other past rumors Prior to the more recent Brazilian and Moroccan developments, speculation swirled about Ronaldo making a short-term move to Chelsea, who will represent the Premier League alongside Manchester City. The idea, floated by Times of India and others, suggested Ronaldo could join Chelsea just for the Club World Cup, possibly fulfilling a gap as their missing No. 9. However, several voices in the football community rejected the idea as unrealistic. 'It would be more like a marketing and media coup than anything, really, in terms of sports logic,' former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda told Racing Tipster. 'It would be great publicity… but no. I've seen him play for Al Nassr… he doesn't really run around a lot,' added ex-England star Chris Waddle, calling it a 'publicity stunt.' There were also rumors about Ronaldo joining Inter Miami, linking him with Lionel Messi for the first time. reported that the MLS side was 'open to making the pair teammates,' but again, nothing advanced beyond initial speculation. Even a move to Saudi rivals Al-Hilal was dismissed outright by CEO Esteve Calzada, who called the idea 'science fiction'. What next? With the tournament starting in less than a month, Ronaldo's next move could be imminent. He's played in and won the Club World Cup four times , once with Manchester United (2008) and three times with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017). His potential return to the tournament would not only be a nostalgic moment for fans but a huge commercial and media boost for any team that secures his signature. Whether it's in Brazil, Morocco, or nowhere at all, the football world watches and waits. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
León out of Club World Cup after losing appeal; LAFC and América set for playoff
Mexican soccer club León finally lost their legal match against Fifa on Tuesday and are officially out of the Club World Cup. Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC or another Mexican team, Club América, will likely be the late replacement in the United States next month after a yet-to-be-scheduled one-game playoff. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its judges rejected León's attempt to overturn being removed by Fifa from the 32-team tournament for being in the same ownership group as another Club World Cup qualifier, Pachuca. Advertisement Related: Club World Cup teams facing tax threat in new blow to expanded tournament 'The panel examined the evidence, including the Club León trust set up by the owners of the club, and concluded that this trust was insufficient to comply with the regulations,' the court said in a statement. The ruling says that 'Fifa is responsible for designating the final qualified team to participate in the Club World Cup 2025.' The worldwide governing body for soccer confirmed last month that it was considering a one-game playoff between LAFC and Club América for that purpose, to be held before the start of the Club World Cup on 14 June. Advertisement Fifa has not announced a date and venue for the potential playoff game, which would guarantee the winner almost $10m from the $1bn Club World Cup prize money fund. As it stands, the schedule is tight. LAFC are scheduled to play a game at least every four days with one exception: A six-day break between league games on 18 and 24 May. Club América's schedule is up in the air – they complete a two-legged quarter-final tie in the Liga MX playoffs on 10 May, and there are no scheduled dates for the semi-final stage at time of writing. Should they qualify for the Club World Cup, Club América will likely have to back out of a scheduled friendly against San Diego FC set for 20 June. The legal dispute played out in Switzerland five months after Fifa let León go into the tournament draw in Miami despite the pending multi-club ownership issue. León were drawn in a group to play Chelsea in Atlanta on 16 June, then Esperance from Tunisia in Nashville, and Flamengo of Brazil in Orlando. Advertisement Fifa's new rules to protect the integrity of its prized, revamped club event prohibit two or more teams being in the same ownership group. That standard has been in place in Uefa-run European competitions for more than 20 years and is typically solved by management changes at one of the two clubs, which can be placed into an ownership blind trust. Related: Infantino's $1bn prize: act of commercial disruption disguised as benevolence | Barney Ronay León and Pachuca qualified for the Club World Cup by respectively winning the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Concacaf championship. The owner of León and Pachuca, Grupo Pachuca, said it was prepared to sell one of the clubs to comply with Fifa rules but that it was not possible for a sale to be completed before the tournament started. Advertisement After Fifa officials decided León should be removed, Fifa appeal judges formally excluded León in March for non-compliance with the rules. At a previous appeal hearing at Fifa, León argued that the governing body 'should follow in the footsteps of Uefa and permit the implementation of a trust as a solution to the issue of multi-club ownership.' Fifa lawyers argued that despite the intention of León's owners, they still had not been compliant with rules when signing a Club World Cup entry agreement in February. A separate and long-shot appeal by Costa Rican club Alajuelense to replace León was incorporated into the overall case and also rejected on Tuesday, CAS said. Fifa previously said LAFC would be in the playoff because they were beaten by León in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League final. Fifa explained América's place was justified as the next-best ranked team in the Club World Cup confederation ranking. Fifa has not offered a reason why América – one of Mexico's best-supported teams – are eligible to be included when Fifa's rules cap each country at two entries unless it has more than two winners of a continental championship in the qualifying period. The entry that was fought over by lawyers is worth an initial $9.55m payment from Fifa for a Concacaf team, plus a share of the $1bn in total prize money based on results at the month-long tournament.
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
FIFA says World Cup, Club World Cup could bring $47B in economic impact to US
FIFA says World Cup, Club World Cup could bring $47B in economic impact to US Show Caption Hide Caption 15-year-old soccer star Cavan Sullivan has lofty goals with USMNT One of America's most promising young soccer stars Cavan Sullivan has sights set on the 2026 World Cup and beyond. Sports Pulse FIFA estimates its next two summer tournaments – primarily hosted in the United States – will generate $47 billion in economic impact and provide 290,000 jobs in the country, with $62 billion in gross domestic product globally, the soccer governing body said in a news release this week. FIFA and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat released two studies to showcase potential socioeconomic impact in the U.S. and globally from this summer's Club World Cup 2025 and next summer's World Cup 2026. The Club World Cup could help generate up to $21.1 billion in global GDP, including $9.6 billion in the U.S. It could also generate $17.1 billion in gross output and unlock $3.36 billion in social benefits across the U.S., while supporting the creation of approximately 105,000 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs. World Cup 2026 could help drive up to $40.9 billion in GDP, with $8.28 billion in social benefits and the creation of nearly 824,000 jobs globally. Specifically for the U.S., OE estimates 185,000 FTE jobs could be created, with $30.5 billion in gross output and $17.2 billion in GDP. The analysis also estimates 3.7 million fans will attend Club World Cup matches this summer, while 6.5 million people are expected to attend World Cup matches in 2026. FIFA says the studies aim to capture both tangible and intangible benefits through structured and comprehensive analysis that includes direct, indirect and induced contributions. The studies were developed by OpenEconomics (OE), an independent body that supports institutions and companies in designing policies and investment projects. The analysis adopts both the Impact Analysis methodology and Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology aligned with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines, to evaluate the value generated relative to the investments made. To provide a comprehensive picture, the analysis uses an inter-country social accounting matrix (SAM) with a breakdown into 45 productive sectors and 76 different countries. Key data comprised of international benchmarks from organizations such as the World Bank, OECD, ILOSTAT, UNECE, WTO and UNWTO. The same methodology has been applied across both reports. When is the 2025 Club World Cup, 2026 World Cup? The 2025 Club World Cup begins with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on center stage against Egyptian club Al Alhy on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The final will be July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Club World Cup matches will also be hosted in Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Orlando, Nashville, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington D.C. The World Cup begins June 11, 2026 and ends with the final at MetLife Stadium July 19, 2026. World Cup games in the U.S. will be played in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and near the Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. World Cup games will also be played in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico, and Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.
