The expanded edition of the FIFA Club World Cup has generated varied reactions regarding fan engagement since its launch. Ticket sales for the event have been underwhelming, reflecting modest in-person enthusiasm. However, television viewership in the United States reveals a different picture, showing a moderate level of interest amid a busy summer sports calendar.
Television Audiences Show Modest Engagement amid Competition
According to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, the FIFA Club World Cup games broadcast on TNT Sports have averaged around 360,000 viewers through midweek matches. This average increases to approximately 409,000 viewers when excluding games that aired on weekday afternoons. These broadcasts are part of a sublicensing agreement between TNT Sports and DAZN, the latter holding exclusive global media rights to the tournament.
Messi and Inter Miami Command Key TV Audiences
Lionel Messi, the tournament‘s biggest name, has significantly influenced TV ratings. Inter Miami’s matches have accounted for three out of the seven most-watched games on linear television. Their recent clash against Palmeiras on Monday marked the highest Club World Cup viewership to date, attracting an average of 676,000 viewers across TNT and truTV. This figure also represents the largest audience for Inter Miami on English-language TV since Messi joined the club last year, given that most of their games are available exclusively on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, a platform not measured by Nielsen ratings.
Inter Miami’s other two fixtures saw viewership numbers of 371,000 against Al Ahly and 349,000 against FC Porto, the latter being broadcast during a weekday afternoon.
Other Club World Cup Matches and Overall Viewership Context
Apart from Inter Miami’s games, the marquee match between Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors on Friday delivered the highest non-Inter Miami viewership on TNT Sports, with 468,000 viewers tuning in. This match was one of just two to surpass 400,000 viewers so far in the tournament.
Despite these numbers, overall interest is moderate, as the FIFA Club World Cup contends with concurrent events such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Fox and ongoing MLS regular season matches on Apple TV. Consequently, while FIFA hopes for increased viewership during the tournament’s later stages, a clear breakthrough has not yet materialized.
Implications for Future Viewership and Tournament Prestige
The current viewership trends suggest that Lionel Messi’s presence is a significant driver of attention for the FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S. market. However, the competition still faces challenges in establishing itself as a major television event amidst crowded sports programming. How the tournament’s ratings evolve over its final stages will influence FIFA’s strategies for marketing and expanding the Club World Cup’s appeal in future editions.