Club World Cup Faces Attendance Crisis: 1 Million Seats Empty, Raising Red Flags for 2026 World Cup

The Club World Cup group stage concluded with a stark reality check: a staggering one million empty seats across the 48 matches played. This concerning attendance figure emerges just a year before the United States is set to host the prestigious 2026 World Cup.

Of the teams advancing to the round of 16, nine hail from Europe, solidifying the continent's dominance in club football. Brazil boasts four representatives, while Major League Soccer (MLS), Mexico, and Saudi Arabia each have one team vying for the title.

Despite the global appeal of the tournament, attendance figures paint a different picture. Only 56.7% of the available capacity was filled during the group stage matches. Specific examples include games in Orlando, Florida, drawing crowds of just 3,412 and 6,730, and matches in Cincinnati attracting 5,282 and 8,239 spectators. Notably, FIFA has not released official capacity figures for the tournament, despite requests from The Associated Press.

The total announced attendance reached 1.67 million out of a possible 2.95 million, translating to an average of 34,746 attendees per match.

Key 2026 World Cup venues also experienced lackluster attendance. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the designated site for next year's World Cup final, saw only 44.9% of its seats filled across five matches. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, a historic venue that hosted the 1994 World Cup final, fared slightly better at 50%.

Other 2026 World Cup host cities presented varying attendance rates: Miami Gardens, Florida, recorded 81.8% capacity; Philadelphia saw 61.6%; Seattle reached 52%; and Atlanta managed 44.3%.

In response to the attendance concerns, FIFA issued a statement emphasizing the tournament's global appeal. "The appetite of the tournament speaks for itself: fans from 168 countries have already purchased tickets... a clear sign of global anticipation and reach," the statement read.

Television viewership figures offer a mixed perspective. The 12 games broadcast with English commentary on TNT, TBS, and truTV averaged 360,000 viewers through Monday, with primetime and weekend matches drawing a higher average of 409,000 viewers.