After Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over LAFC in their opening match, manager Enzo Maresca has identified the main problem the FIFA Club World Cup is now suffering. The Blues won the three points thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez either side of halftime. Liam Delap also made an impact in his first appearance off the bench.
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The unusual environment from a virtually empty Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta did not help the Conference League champions, who had a comfortable afternoon’s work, which is one of the major issues the CWC needs to address, according to Maresca.
Maresca On ‘Strange’ Environment Created By Empty Stadium
The 70,000-seater was sparsely filled
Speaking after the match, Maresca expressed the worries that many others have had about the competition’s early phases, saying that the stadium’s lack of people created a “strange atmosphere,” according to The Athletic. Prior to kickoff, Chelsea’s players were granted separate entrances to the field, which not only caused a delay but also added to the special situation because there weren’t many spectators present to give the opulent arrivals the impression that they were.
Speaking about the low attendance, Maresca said:
“The performance and the contest were both excellent. The setting seemed a little odd to me. The stadium was nearly deserted, you know. Not completely filled. We also thought that the setting would be a little different when we prepared for this game.
The former Leicester City manager downplayed concerns that his team’s second tournament match against Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo would be a repeat of the prior game’s concerning attendance, saying:
The next one will undoubtedly be pleasant because we are aware that the Brazilian team consistently attracts a sizable fan base. Thus, we’ll make an effort to be prepared for the next one.”
Early Attendance Falling Below FIFA’s Expectations
It has not been a great turnout this summer
The lack of interest in the event is bad for FIFA, especially in light of the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico. However, there have been other games where the stadium was nearly full, including PSG’s 4-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, had high hopes for the traveling fans before the competition, saying, “This competition will have two, three, four million fans coming to the US.”
However, the fact that most games are being played in NFL stadiums rather than smaller MLS arenas seems to be part of the problem. The Athletic claims that this was suggested to the FIFA hierarchy, but Infantino and company rejected it because they wanted to go as large as possible even though it might result in empty stadiums.
Additionally, FIFA reportedly spent more than $50 million to promote the Club World Cup in an attempt to increase ticket sales, but preliminary results indicate that this strategy has not been successful.
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