By Ubong Usoro
The FIFA Club World Cup recently kicked off in the United States, and while the football action has lived up to its billing with thrilling goals and high-profile matchups, the tournament has been greeted with a surprising lack of enthusiasm in the stands.
The tournament has already witnessed big games such as Chelsea taking on Los Angeles FC and Bayern Munich’s demolition of Auckland City, scoring 10 goals to nil, a historic result in Club World Cup history.
However, the scenes from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta told a different story. Despite being one of the most iconic stadiums in the country, the stands where left empty.
Scheduled for 3 p.m. local time on a Monday, the match has sparked questions about whether it was a case of poor planning, weak promotion, or simply local indifference toward a tournament meant to showcase the best of world club football.
Football , or soccer, as it’s called in the U.S. continues to grow in popularity, especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. However, the Club World Cup remains a relatively unfamiliar competition for many American fans, who are more tuned in to Major League Soccer (MLS), the UEFA Champions League, and national team events.
With more high-profile matches still to come including Real Madrid and Manchester City entering the fray, FIFA will be hoping for improved turnout in the coming days. The challenge now is whether the organization can rally interest fast enough to prevent further embarrassment.
Whether this is a case of scheduling missteps or a deeper disconnect between FIFA and American football culture, one thing is clear: a tournament meant to unite champions from every continent is struggling to capture the attention of its host audience.
Speaking on the situation, football analyst and podcaster, Obi Chuku said: “Experiencing low turnout and empty stadiums in the Club World Cup is not bad scheduling. We should understand that the United States of America is a country known to love other sports ahead of football.
“To me, they are still trying to develop their league; they are trying to let people know more about football, which they call soccer. They have a lot of sports which they place ahead of football, like basketball, baseball and tennis.
“It is just the same scenario that would happen if you take a basketball competition to Europe, definitely, you would have a low turnout.”
he argued that FIFA is still trying to help the people of the United States to develop football, to create awareness as the tournament progresses, noting that the spotlight will remain not only on the clubs but also on FIFA’s ability to engage fans and build momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
