“Millions will come,” announced FIFA President Gianni Infantino at a White House press conference alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, raising expectations that millions would come for the 2025 Club World Cup as “big bang competition and most sought after event of global domestic football”. However, reality was quite different and an average National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match can attract even larger audiences than this predicted expectation.
This incident highlights how men’s soccer, traditionally seen as superior compared to female counterparts, was exposed in its attendance issues at FIFA Club World Cup – sparking criticism on multiple fronts.
The revelation came during the Group D Matchday 1 game between Chelsea and Los Angeles FC on a Monday afternoon, a match that under normal circumstances might draw considerable attention given the stature of the teams involved. Nonetheless, the actual turnout at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium was significantly lower than expected. With the stadium capable of seating 71,000 spectators, only about 22,137 fans were present, leading to the closure of the entire top tier section.
NWSL Enthusiasts Lightly Mock FIFA Over Low Turnout
“NWSL has better attendance than this,”
“An Angel City vs Chelsea WFC match would have had a packed stadium even on a Monday afternoon,”
“A NWSL game at the same venue and time, would have attracted more crowd than this lol,”
“Ticket prices were insane until right before kick-off,”
“This is truly heartbreaking. How will the World Cup proceed next year without encountering similar issues?!!”
This playful jab from the NWSL community emphasizes a shift in American soccer fandom: attendance figures at women’s matches are increasing to rival those at men’s, challenging longstanding stereotypes and showing women’s soccer’s growing appeal.