FIFA has continued to defend the Club World Cup despite the tournament’s wildly differing attendances during the opening stage.
The governing body said 340,000 fans attended the first eight matches and claimed this was a ‘powerful demonstration of club football’s global appeal’.
More than 80,000 people watched Paris Saint-Germain versus Atletico Madrid in Pasadena, highlighting the appetite for watching top teams in action.
By contrast, just 3,412 people attended the Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns fixture in Orlando, making a mockery of FIFA’s comments about global appeal.
Chelsea’s opening game against Los Angeles FC in Atlanta drew just 22,317 supporters, further undermining the governing body’s viewpoint.
The reality is that the competition is merely an excuse for FIFA to generate revenue. No one cared who lifted the trophy in the previous format, and that hasn’t changed.
For all their bullishness, FIFA are flogging a dead horse by trying to replicate the magic of the World Cup at club level. The sooner they recognise this, the better.
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What to watch
England face Germany in the European U21 Championship tonight. That’ll be better than anything the Club World Cup produces.
