South American fans have brought passion, colour, and thunderous support to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, transforming match venues into vibrant arenas that rival any global football spectacle.
Boca Juniors, Flamengo, and Botafogo supporters have set U.S. stadiums alight with their intensity, but that carnival-like atmosphere has not fully swept across the host nation.
Miami becomes tournament hotspot
In Miami, Boca Juniors fans have turned Hard Rock Stadium into their own ‘Bombonera’ away from Buenos Aires.
Read Also: FIFA Club World Cup winner to pocket $125m prize money
Over 55,000 attended their match against Benfica, and 63,587 returned to witness their thrilling 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich.
“I’ve had a long career and experienced a lot. There are times I want to be a player, and tonight was one of those times,” Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said after the match.
“The Boca fans were special; the crowd was hostile in the best possible way. That’s what I love about football.”
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi also stole headlines with a stunning free kick that sealed a historic 2-1 win over Porto, the first-ever victory by a CONCACAF team over a European side in an official FIFA competition, further cementing Miami as the de facto capital of this year’s tournament.
Brazilian clubs shock European giants
Brazilian clubs have made a loud statement in the competition’s opening week. Botafogo stunned UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain with a 1-0 upset, while Flamengo dismantled Chelsea 3-1 in another marquee fixture.
“I love it, the Brazilian teams, the Argentinian teams, how they celebrate, how they stay together,” said Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. “European teams lose, and people are shocked. Welcome to the real world, my friends.”
Patchy attendance highlights U.S. soccer divide
While over 1.5 million tickets have already been sold, crowd sizes have varied widely across different host cities. Some match venues have struggled to draw fans, underscoring the challenge of growing football’s popularity across all regions in the U.S.
In Orlando, just 3,412 fans turned up at the 25,500-seat Inter&Co Stadium for the Ulsan vs. Mamelodi Sundowns clash.
Meanwhile, 5,282 spectators watched Pachuca take on Red Bull Salzburg in Cincinnati’s 26,000-capacity TQL Stadium.
FIFA had hoped the expanded 32-team tournament would generate nationwide excitement in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, but early indicators suggest enthusiasm remains concentrated in select cities, with South American fans stealing the show.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
