The expanded Club World Cup featured numerous challenges such as empty seats, reduced ticket prices, scorching heat, weather delays, and criticism of the field surface. Despite this, Chelsea, the fourth-best team in the Premier League, emerged as the surprise victor. One significant takeaway was FIFA’s decision to significantly lower ticket prices as kick-off times approached, potentially influencing fans’ decisions about attending next year’s World Cup. Prices for matches like Chelsea-Fluminense were slashed from $473.90 to $13.40, and the final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain dropped from $330 to $199.60.
Next year’s expanded 48-nation World Cup will host 104 matches, with many expected to take place on weekday afternoons. FIFA has not confirmed whether dynamic pricing will be utilized and declined to comment on discounting. Although the tournament drew 2.49 million spectators, filling about 62% of venue capacities, FIFA focused on tickets sold rather than the approximately 1.5 million unfilled seats and did not address the price reductions.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino lauded the success of the expanded tournament, while former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp criticized it as “the worst idea ever implemented in football” due to the strain on players from the extended season. Teams like PSG and Chelsea played numerous matches, with concerns raised about player fatigue.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresco expressed the competition’s growing importance, noting the challenging heat conditions. The tournament faced criticism for the short grass at MetLife Stadium, the venue for next year’s World Cup final, which Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač likened to a golf green.
In terms of viewership, DAZN acquired world rights and sub-licensed matches to networks like TNT Sports and TelevisaUnivision, with varying viewership figures. Despite challenges, including weather delays and high temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), the tournament raised questions about the U.S.’ suitability as a World Cup host in the face of global warming.
During the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., only seven out of 52 games were scheduled to start at night local time to facilitate evening broadcasts for European television. Despite FIFA promoting the tournament as a showcase of the world’s top teams, notable European champions like Liverpool, Barcelona, Napoli, Sporting Lisbon, and Sturm Graz were absent from the 32-nation field. Surprisingly, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami was included, despite never winning the MLS title.
The Club World Cup raised concerns about player welfare, as top players faced the prospect of three consecutive years of summer tournaments, including the European Championship, Copa America, and the upcoming World Cup in 2026. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed uncertainty about the tournament’s impact, suggesting that it might not be fully understood until midway through the next season.
Bayern Munich and Germany’s Jamal Musiala suffered a serious injury during the quarterfinal defeat to PSG, highlighting the physical toll of the competition. FIFA’s aim with the Club World Cup was to promote the sport globally and showcase teams beyond Europe’s major leagues. Brazilian clubs shone in the tournament, with all four teams advancing to the knockout stage and producing notable upsets.
Notable moments included Botafogo defeating PSG in the group stage and Fluminense reaching the semifinals. Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia made it to the quarterfinals, eliminating Manchester City. Inter Miami, led by Messi, made a memorable run to the round of 16, securing Major League Soccer’s first victory against a European team by beating Porto in the group stage.
However, some teams such as the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC from the U.S. failed to make an impact, exiting the competition winless. Auckland City from New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat against Bayern, and a match between Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa and Ulsan from South Korea drew a modest crowd.
While there were flashes of brilliance from Messi, Kylian Mbappe was limited by illness. While some group stage matches were competitive, only a few games will be remembered for their iconic moments.
