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Japan Today
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Will visa delays and border fears keep international fans away from the Club World Cup in the US?
FILE - Fans fill the Rose Bowl as Chelsea plays Liverpool FC in an International Champions Cup soccer match , July 27, 2016, in Pasadena, Calif. (Carlos Delgado/AP Images for International Champions Cup, via AP, File) soccer By ANNE M. PETERSON As the United States readies for the FIFA Club World Cup, concern over such things as international travel, fan safety and even economic uncertainty threaten to diminish enthusiasm for the tournament. The United States will see the arrival of 32 professional club teams from around the globe to 11 cities for the tournament. There's a $1 billion prize pool. The Club World Cup is considered in many ways to be a dress rehearsal for the big event, the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But there seems to be little buzz for the Club World Cup at home or abroad. The expansion of the field from seven to 32 teams has diminished the exclusivity of the event, and ticket sales appear slow. At the same time, the tournament is being played amid reports of foreign tourists being detained and visa processing delays. Chaotic U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities and President Donald Trump's travel bans aren't exactly reassuring international fans, either. Trump's policies appear to have already impacted travelers. The National Travel and Tourism Office released data showing visitors to the U.S. from foreign countries fell 9.7% in March compared to the same month last year. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics has predicted that international arrivals would decline 9.4% this year. The U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit group that represents the travel industry, has urged the Trump administration to improve such things as visa processing and customs wait times ahead of a series of big sporting events on U.S. soil, including the Club World Cup beginning June 14, the Ryder Cup later this year, next summer's World Cup, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Association President Geoff Freeman said, for example, that the wait in Colombia for a visa interview appointment is upwards of 18 months — already putting the 2026 World Cup out of reach for some travelers. He said his organization is working with the White House's World Cup Task Force to address issues. 'They (the task force) recognize how important this event is: success is the only option. So we're eager to work with them to do whatever it is we need to do to ensure that we can welcome the millions of incremental visitors that we think are possible," Freeman said. "But these underlying issues of visa and customs, we've got to address.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing last month, suggested consular staff could be put on longer shifts and that artificial intelligence could be used to process visas. 'We want it to be a success. It's a priority for the president,' said Rubio. But the Trump administration may have added to the concerns for international visitors by issuing a ban on travelers from 12 countries, with restrictions on travel from nine more countries. Iran, one of the countries named, has qualified for the World Cup. The proclamation included an exemption for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' It did not mention fans. There are signs current immigration policies were already impacting soccer fans and spurring worries over safety. A Latin American supporters group in Nashville stayed away from a recent Major League Soccer game because of ICE activity in the city. The city's Geodis Park is set to host three Club World Cup matches. Danny Navarro, who offers travel advice to followers on his social media platforms under the moniker TravelFutbolFan, said the World Cup Task Force announcement did not allay fears about travel, especially when Vice President JD Vance said, 'We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to (Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem.' That insinuated fans visiting the United States for the World Cup could use it to stay in the country, which is nonsensical, Navarro maintained. For many countries, fans traveling to the World Cup — an expensive travel plan with hiked flight and hotel prices — are broadly viewed as higher-spending and lower-risk for host nation security planning. Navarro put the onus on FIFA. 'They must know that there is an anxiety among international travelers wanting to come in. They must know there's an anxiety among the U.S. fan base that is multicultural and wanting to go to all these places. Are they going to? Are they going to be harassed by ICE?' Navarro said. 'There is just a lot of uncertainty, I would say, too much uncertainty, that the fan base doesn't want to think about." It remains to be seen how outside factors will ultimately impact the Club World Cup, which is not the global spectacle or draw that the World Cup is. Ticket sales, which were based on a dynamic pricing model, appear to be slow, with lowered prices from earlier this year and a slew of recent promotions. For a match between Paris Saint-Germain and Botafogo at the Rose Bowl on June 19, there were wide swaths of available seats going for $33.45. FIFA created an incentive program that says fans who buy two or more tickets to the Club World Cup 'may' be guaranteed the right to purchase one ticket to the World Cup next summer. Navarro said economic uncertainty and fears of inflation may make fans hesitant to spend their money on the Club World Cup — when the more desirable World Cup is looming. In some host cities, there's little sign the Club World Cup is happening. A light rail station in Seattle had a lone sign advertising the event. The Seattle Sounders are among the teams playing in the tournament. Hans Hobson, executive director of the Tennessee State Soccer Association, suggested part of the problem is that, unlike the national teams that play in the World Cup, some of the club teams playing in Nashville are just not known to U.S. fans. 'It's not leagues that they watch. If it was the Premier League or the Bundesliga or something like that, then they'd go, 'Oh, I know players there. Let's go check it out,' Hobson said. There were tickets available to LAFC's match against Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in Nashville on June 20 for $24.45. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has traveled to several host cities to gin up enthusiasm. He has promised "the world will be welcomed.' But some say the United States isn't exactly rolling out the red carpet for visitors in the current climate. 'I could see trepidation for anyone looking to travel to the U.S. at this current political climate,' said Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsch. 'So it's a sad thing, I think, that we have to talk about visiting the U.S. in this way but I think everybody has to make decisions that are best for them and that fit best with what's going on in their life and their lifestyle.' AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Will visa delays and border fears keep international fans away from the Club World Cup in the U.S.?
Fans fill the Rose Bowl as Chelsea plays Liverpool FC in an International Champions Cup soccer match , July 27, 2016, in Pasadena, Calif. (Carlos Delgado/AP Images for International Champions Cup, via AP, File) As the United States readies for the FIFA Club World Cup, concern over such things as international travel, fan safety and even economic uncertainty threaten to diminish enthusiasm for the tournament. The United States will see the arrival of 32 professional club teams from around the globe to 11 cities for the tournament. There's a US$1 billion prize pool. The Club World Cup is considered in many ways to be a dress rehearsal for the big event, the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But there seems to be little buzz for the Club World Cup at home or abroad. The expansion of the field from seven to 32 teams has diminished the exclusivity of the event, and ticket sales appear slow. At the same time, the tournament is being played amid reports of foreign tourists being detained and visa processing delays. Chaotic U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities and U.S. President Donald Trump's travel bans aren't exactly reassuring international fans, either. Wary travelers, visa woes Trump's policies appear to have already impacted travelers. The U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office released data showing visitors to the U.S. from foreign countries fell 9.7 per cent in March compared to the same month last year. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics has predicted that international arrivals would decline 9.4 per cent this year. The U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit group that represents the travel industry, has urged the Trump administration to improve such things as visa processing and customs wait times ahead of a series of big sporting events on U.S. soil, including the Club World Cup beginning June 14, the Ryder Cup later this year, next summer's World Cup, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Association President Geoff Freeman said, for example, that the wait in Colombia for a visa interview appointment is upwards of 18 months — already putting the 2026 World Cup out of reach for some travelers. He said his organization is working with the White House's World Cup Task Force to address issues. 'They (the task force) recognize how important this event is: success is the only option. So we're eager to work with them to do whatever it is we need to do to ensure that we can welcome the millions of incremental visitors that we think are possible,' Freeman said. 'But these underlying issues of visa and customs, we've got to address.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing last month, suggested consular staff could be put on longer shifts and that artificial intelligence could be used to process visas. 'We want it to be a success. It's a priority for the president,' said Rubio. But the Trump administration may have added to the concerns for international visitors by issuing a ban on travelers from 12 countries, with restrictions on travel from nine more countries. Iran, one of the countries named, has qualified for the World Cup. The proclamation included an exemption for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' It did not mention fans. Fan fears There are signs current immigration policies were already impacting soccer fans and spurring worries over safety. A Latin American supporters group in Nashville stayed away from a recent Major League Soccer game because of ICE activity in the city. The city's Geodis Park is set to host three Club World Cup matches. Danny Navarro, who offers travel advice to followers on his social media platforms under the moniker TravelFutbolFan, said the World Cup Task Force announcement did not allay fears about travel, especially when Vice President JD Vance said, 'We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to (U.S. Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem.' That insinuated fans visiting the United States for the World Cup could use it to stay in the country, which is nonsensical, Navarro maintained. For many countries, fans traveling to the World Cup — an expensive travel plan with hiked flight and hotel prices — are broadly viewed as higher-spending and lower-risk for host nation security planning. Navarro put the onus on FIFA. 'They must know that there is an anxiety among international travelers wanting to come in. They must know there's an anxiety among the U.S. fan base that is multicultural and wanting to go to all these places. Are they going to? Are they going to be harassed by ICE?' Navarro said. 'There is just a lot of uncertainty, I would say, too much uncertainty, that the fan base doesn't want to think about.' If you build it, will they come? It remains to be seen how outside factors will ultimately impact the Club World Cup, which is not the global spectacle or draw that the World Cup is. Ticket sales, which were based on a dynamic pricing model, appear to be slow, with lowered prices from earlier this year and a slew of recent promotions. For a match between Paris Saint-Germain and Botafogo at the Rose Bowl on June 19, there were wide swaths of available seats going for $33.45. FIFA created an incentive program that says fans who buy two or more tickets to the Club World Cup 'may' be guaranteed the right to purchase one ticket to the World Cup next summer. Navarro said economic uncertainty and fears of inflation may make fans hesitant to spend their money on the Club World Cup — when the more desirable World Cup is looming. In some host cities, there's little sign the Club World Cup is happening. A light rail station in Seattle had a lone sign advertising the event. The Seattle Sounders are among the teams playing in the tournament. Hans Hobson, executive director of the Tennessee State Soccer Association, suggested part of the problem is that, unlike the national teams that play in the World Cup, some of the club teams playing in Nashville are just not known to U.S. fans. 'It's not leagues that they watch. If it was the Premier League or the Bundesliga or something like that, then they'd go, 'Oh, I know players there. Let's go check it out,' Hobson said. There were tickets available to LAFC's match against Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in Nashville on June 20 for $24.45. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has traveled to several host cities to gin up enthusiasm. He has promised 'the world will be welcomed.' But some say the United States isn't exactly rolling out the red carpet for visitors in the current climate. 'I could see trepidation for anyone looking to travel to the U.S. at this current political climate,' said Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsch. 'So it's a sad thing, I think, that we have to talk about visiting the U.S. in this way but I think everybody has to make decisions that are best for them and that fit best with what's going on in their life and their lifestyle.' AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press
Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Tickets for Singapore Festival of Football to go on sale on April 25
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard (third from right) celebrates with his teammates after scoring their second goal in a 2-2 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace on April 23. PHOTO: AFP Tickets for Singapore Festival of Football to go on sale on April 25 SINGAPORE – Match tickets for the 2025 Singapore Festival of Football, which are priced from $108, will be available from Ticketek on April 25, organisers announced in a media statement on April 24. The festival will see European clubs gracing the National Stadium after a two-year hiatus, with Arsenal taking on Italian side AC Milan on July 23, followed by the Gunners' clash against Newcastle United on July 27. Both games kick off at 7.30pm. Arsenal will also hold an open training session on July 25 at the National Stadium, where their fans get another opportunity to interact with their favourite players. Tickets for this session are priced at $32. This will be Milan's first visit here, while Arsenal last came in 2018 for the International Champions Cup, where they faced Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. The Magpies last played in Singapore in 1996, when they faced an S-League All-Stars team. This time around, they will be heading here on the back of a memorable season in which they ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought by beating Liverpool to lift the League Cup in March. The inaugural Singapore Festival of Football in 2023 welcomed over 130,000 fans to the National Stadium where Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and German giants Bayern Munich played three matches over a week. Earlier in April, promoter TEG Sport and the Singapore Tourism Board announced the return of the festival in a five-year partnership that will see regular top-flight European football fixtures played in Singapore in alternate years (2025, 2027 and 2029). Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CBS News
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Zach Bryan, John Mayer will headline first-ever concert at Michigan Stadium
(CBS DETROIT) — The Big House is about to get its first big show. Multi-platinum country music star Zach Bryan and seven-time Grammy-winning artist John Mayer will co-headline the first-ever concert at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor this fall. Bryan and Mayer will be joined by special guests Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen and Joshua Slone for the Sept. 27 show. Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 14, at 10 a.m. through AXS. "We are excited to have award-winning artist Zach Bryan perform the very first concert at Michigan Stadium," said Michigan Director of Athletics Warde Manuel. "I would like to thank the Board of Regents, President Ono, the Executive Officers of the University, and many of our athletic department staff, as well as AEG Presents, for all the work that has brought us to this point in the process. We have been studying and evaluating what it takes to host a concert at Michigan Stadium for a couple of years, and today marks that next step in the venture with great partners." Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere and the third largest stadium in the world. It can hold more than 110,000 people for some sporting events. Nicknamed "The Big House," Michigan Stadium first opened in 1927 and has hosted several prominent sporting events in addition to Wolverines football, like the NHL Winter Classic and several International Champions Cup soccer matches. Michigan established an NCAA single-game attendance record of 115,109 fans in a 2013 night game against Notre Dame. Bryan recently capped off his "The Quittin' Time Tour," which saw him play 85 arenas and stadiums across North America. The Grammy winner and Oklahoma native will headline the Stagecoach Festival 2025 in Indio, California, and BST Hyde Park Festival 2025 in London, England.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Champions League final could be held in United States – as Uefa eyes groundbreaking new deal
A Champions League final in the United States just became a step closer, as Uefa and the European Club Association have entered into an exclusive negotiation period with Relevent Sports for global commercial rights to Europe's men's club competitions from 2027. The American agency have been at the forefront of trying to bring major games to the US. Should the deal be completed, it would mark the end of Uefa's three-decade-plus association with TEAM Marketing, who were originally responsible for all of the prominent Champions League branding, like the starball and famous theme. More seriously, it could put up to 170 jobs from the company at risk. There is understood to have been a state of shock at TEAM, as well as some anger about the process. A statement to be released on Tuesday read: "The Board of UC3, the joint venture between Uefa and the European Club Association (ECA) has agreed to enter into an exclusive period of negotiation with Relevent Sports over the global commercial rights to the Uefa men's club competitions for the period 2027-2033. 'The decision follows an open tender process, launched last summer, which attracted bids from a number of global and regional agencies." Relevent are controlled by billionaire and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who has long harboured plans to stage meaningful European club games in the United States. The pre-season International Champions Cup is widely seen to have been ultimately set up for this purpose. There were even plans to replace it with a Champions League-branded pre-season tournament and a final in the US has always been seen as the primary objective. Fifa only last April said that it would consider changes to its policy that blocks league matches from being played in other countries, after an agreement with Relevent to dismiss the promoter's lawsuit challenging that very regulation. Relevent Sports' lawyer Jeffrey L Kessler had filed a letter in a Manhattan court stating that Fifa and his client agreed to the dismissal. There had previously been plans to bring a La Liga game between Barcelona and Girona to Miami. Relevent are now on the brink of striking a deal with Uefa, which could bring the prospect of Champions League games in the US by 2033. The move marks the start of a huge shift within sport. For one, it is a sign of how the major clubs - through the ECA - are starting to exert much more influence of Uefa competitions and "push new boundaries". The entry of US and Gulf investors into the European football market has meanwhile sparked a sudden and quick evolution, as major competition organisers start to look to maximise global opportunities. This is how the face of the game could change, especially as the dynamics and culture of the sport change. Competition to attract the next generation of global "consumers" has become huge. Football now sees itself as not just competing with other sports but against TikTok and other forms of entertainment, with a need to be aggressive in the market. Sources close to the situation also insist Uefa has a responsibility to not just ignore the European Super League, and have to show clubs they are "dynamic" and "optimising market opportunities". It is seen as a big reason why Uefa are pushing ahead with the joint UC3 venture, since it strengthens the links and offers more input in the commercial side. The agreement would consequently mark the end of an era in European football in numerous senses. There was said to be particular shock within TEAM that the news came out in a European-club matchweek, with some of their employees travelling to matches today to meet with broadcasters and sponsors.
