As the FIFA Club World Cup draws to an end with the final next Sunday and semifinals to be played tomorrow (Fluminense-Chelsea) and Wednesday (Real Madrid-PSG), what can be said about the marketing and advertising-related aspects of the event so far?
FIFA Club World Cup Marketing: Fan Engagement and In-Stadium Attendance
Insiders asked by Portada note that, so far, “attendance has fluctuated based on location and opponents, the tournament has gained good steam and interest from fans against a lot of the geo-political issues and timing against it.” “South American teams (from Argentina & Brazil) are bringing a lot of great energy, passion, and pageantry that’s helping with optics,” they add.
Check out this UPDATE: Fifa Club World Cup: What Can We Learn from It?
FIFA Club World Cup Marketing Budget Used Too Late?
While FIFA had at least US$50 million at its disposal to promote the tournament, an observer notes that “they started much too late to make a substantial impact to garner initial interest and understanding of this new formatted tournament.” This has been reflected in sometimes relatively low in-stadium attendance, with an average of 34,759 fans per match through the group stage, according to The New York Times, with stadiums reaching about 57% capacity. The round of 16 saw attendance increase to an average of 42,751 per match.
“They started much too late to make a substantial impact to garner initial interest and understanding of this new formatted tournament.”
Hispanic Fan Engagement
The political environment may also be contributing to the somewhat muted in-stadium attendance. “A backdrop of immigration enforcement is affecting public engagement, even at community-defining events like soccer.” David Sanchez, Director of Acquisition Marketing at UnitedHealthcare, recently posted on LinkedIn. This has implications for the large Hispanic soccer fan base, according to Sanchez: “Even as the FIFA Club World Cup and Gold Cup kick off across the U.S., fans are staying away. And it’s not just about ticket prices or timing—it’s about fear, policy, and community trust. The Club World Cup group stage has been drawing averages of just 43–52% capacity—some matches at nearly 14% full—even with top-tier clubs involved. In Atlanta, Chelsea’s opener against LAFC saw only 22,000 fans in a 71,000-seat stadium. At the Gold Cup, even Mexico’s match drew just 34,000 at AT&T Stadium—half its usual crowd—amid rising ICE fears.” Sanchez recommends brands understand the current context and “prioritize empathy and safety by shifting events and activations to trusted community spaces, and lean into digital alternatives. If people don’t come to stadiums, bring the experience to them online.”
“A backdrop of immigration enforcement is affecting public engagement, even at community-defining events like soccer.”
FIFA Club World Cup Sponsorships
FIFA Club World Cup sponsorships have been challenged due to the landscape and FIFA restrictions, so primarily FIFA has leveraged relationships with 2026 Men’s Soccer World Cup sponsors, including Adidas AbInbev, Coca Cola and Visa.
FIFA Partners
Adidas
Aramco
Coca-Cola
Hyundai–Kia
Lenovo[11]
Qatar Airways
Visa
FIFA Club World Cup Sponsors
AB InBev (Michelob Ultra)
Bank of America
Hisense
Sources: Wikipedia and InsideFifa.
Note: Despite the Club World Cup having completed its group stage and entered the last 16 knockouts, FIFA has announced another sponsor partner in home improvement retailer The Home Depot, which becomes an Official Partner in North America.
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Broadcast and Streaming Audiences
So far, data is only available for the group stage. Club World Cup broadcasts in English on TNT Sports (TNT, TBS, and truTV) were averaging 360,000 through Wednesday, June 25, per Sports Media Watch. Sports Business Journal noted that the highly popular Premier League drew 394,000 per match on USA Network in the 2024-25 season. Three of the top seven English-language telecasts on TNT Sports featured Inter Miami, with 676,000 tuning in to see the Major League Soccer side draw 2-2 against Brazil’s Palmeiras. The Miami matches attracted even larger viewership on Spanish-language broadcasts.
“FIFA Club World Cup matches averaged averaged 360,000 through Wednesday June 25. For comparison purposes, English Premier League drew 394,000 per match on USA Network in the 2024-25 season.”
