Messi can't help: FIFA faces lack of interest in Club World Cup opening match tickets

FIFA envisioned the new Club World Cup as a spectacle guaranteed to draw fans’ attention to every match. The reality, however, is that even global football superstars aren’t boosting interest in the games.

Details: According to The Athletic, fewer than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the Club World Cup opener between Inter Miami—where Lionel Messi is highly likely to feature—and Egypt’s Al Ahly, despite the stadium’s capacity exceeding 65,000 seats.

FIFA denies these figures, insisting that the actual number of tickets sold is higher, but they haven’t disclosed any concrete data. Still, the problem is clearly recognized, as football’s governing body has reached out to students at Miami Dade College.

These students received emails from FIFA offering a special deal: if a student buys a ticket for $20, they get four additional tickets for free. Meanwhile, regular fans are still facing steep prices, as on Tuesday evening the cheapest seat available—restricted view included—was going for $70.

Reminder: Earlier reports indicated that the main drivers of attendance at Club World Cup matches have been Real Madrid and Boca Juniors.