FIFA has spent more than $50 million on marketing to promote this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States, increasing its original budget as it aims to drive ticket sales, according to multiple sources familiar with the budget.
The tournament, expanded to 32 teams under President Gianni Infantino, has faced organizational challenges while launching its revamped format. FIFA stated it expects strong attendance and vibrant atmospheres across the 12 venues in 11 cities hosting the event, calling it “the undisputed pinnacle of club world football.” However, some matches have seen significant numbers of empty seats.
Marketing efforts have focused heavily on social media, with investments in Instagram influencer promotions. These include non-traditional approaches, such as enlisting a baseball reporter to explain soccer to American audiences and involving cooking influencers to engage casual fans. FIFA also spent substantially on highway advertising in several cities.
To boost attendance, FIFA has employed dynamic ticket pricing. Initial ticket prices on Ticketmaster reached $349 but were reduced to as low as $55 close to the tournament. The organization also distributed discounted and complimentary tickets to groups such as Miami Dade College students and military veterans.
This strategy helped fill 60,927 seats for the opening match featuring Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at a stadium capacity of 65,326. Attendance has varied elsewhere, with 80,619 fans attending Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid at the 90,000-seat Rose Bowl, while other matches at large NFL stadiums saw many empty seats, such as the 22,137 attendance at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which can hold 71,000.
Venue selection has caused internal FIFA disagreements. U.S. staff favored smaller, sellout venues, while European offices pushed for larger stadiums to showcase the tournament’s elite clubs. Ticket prices have remained relatively high for some matches, with minimum prices around $50 even for midweek games with low attendance.
Challenges increased amid reports of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement presence at matches, stirring concerns that led FIFA to request the removal of related social media posts from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Media coverage has relied heavily on digital promotion, with limited mainstream access to FIFA President Infantino, who has mainly appeared in influencer-led content. Some top European clubs and leagues have expressed dissatisfaction with the tournament schedule, sponsorship clarity, and prize distribution, with legal challenges and threats of withdrawal reported.
FIFA’s sales data show limited ticket purchases from English, Spanish, and Italian markets. However, there has been strong support from Brazilian, Argentine, Egyptian, and Tunisian fans, with vibrant fan scenes especially among South American diaspora communities in the U.S.
Economic concerns eased after FIFA secured a $1 billion broadcast deal with DAZN and allocated substantial prize money, up to $125 million for the winner, aiming to encourage interest as the tournament advances toward its knockout stages featuring Europe’s top clubs.
FIFA did not respond to requests for comment.