This summer, the Club World Cup is making headlines as it takes place solely in the United States, featuring 32 teams and drawing attention for both its excitement and challenges.
Security measures have been noticeably tight, with some fans feeling they are excessive.
Dumois shared his experience at the round of 16 match between Real Madrid and Juventus, commenting, “In Spain, it is different, you can just have an Uber or taxi take you right up to the stadium.
Here in Miami, they have to leave you outside and far away.
There’s so many layers of security, it’s too much.”
As the Club World Cup progresses, entering the quarterfinals this weekend, the event serves as a precursor to the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the U.S. alongside Canada and Mexico in major cities like Miami, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
However, attendance at the tournament has been disappointing, with only a handful of matches drawing crowds.
A match at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, which holds 75,000 spectators, saw only 20,030 fans attend the clash between Fluminense and Inter Milan.
Stadium officials even permitted upper deck ticket holders to move down to the lower bowl, yet even there, many seats remained empty.
Empty seats have become a familiar scene across various venues in the country, prompting questions about the factors contributing to the lack of attendance.
One major issue is that the club tournament simply lacks the allure of the World Cup, where national pride drives fan enthusiasm.
Additionally, the costs associated with attending matches, including ticket prices and travel expenses, have deterred many potential attendees.
There are also lingering concerns about potential raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies, which have created anxiety for some fans.
Weather conditions have further complicated attendance, as extreme heat has gripped the nation.
Benjamin Cabral, a Boston resident with family roots in the Azores, emphasized that a scheduling change would be beneficial for growing soccer’s popularity in the U.S.
“If they’re trying to grow their game in the U.S., they need to make the games later,” he said.
Players have faced difficult conditions, competing in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees during a significant heat wave.
Fans have also struggled with the heat; Carlos Olguin traveled from Mexico to Charlotte for a match but noted, “There’s no roof, no screens, not much.”
With the next World Cup slated to begin in mid-June and conclude in mid-July, managing conditions effectively will be paramount.
Local excitement and event preparations have raised some eyebrows, with Olguin pointing out that many people in the city were unaware of the Club World Cup’s occurrence.
He remarked, “The city should be more prepared for the event, because there are people who don’t even know there’s an event.”
Reviews of American stadiums and host cities have varied among spectators attending the matches.
Jeremy Zuniga from South Carolina expressed concerns about the U.S. being ready for the World Cup, saying, “There’s too many people coming from South America, Europe, everybody.”
Conversely, Rogerio Bajos from Peru reported a positive experience, saying, “I think it’s been good, we haven’t had any problems.
The parking is no problem, the security has been good.
Overall, a stupendous spectacle.”
Humberto Contasta from Miami commented that the current tournament might help American co-hosts identify and resolve issues before next summer.
Daniel Marques traveled from Portugal specifically to watch Benfica compete against Chelsea, and he spoke highly of the tournament’s organization.
Guilherme Altoe, who moved to the U.S. nearly a decade ago after watching World Cup matches in Brazil, also remains optimistic about the upcoming World Cup.
“I think the United States has everything, all the infrastructure to host a World Cup,” he stated.
Regarding the influx of fans from around the world, Altoe expressed excitement at the prospect of diverse supporters uniting for the event, remarking, “It will be a great time.”
The Club World Cup experience highlights potential areas for improvement as the United States gears up to host the prestigious World Cup in 2026.
image source from：bostonglobe
