The newly expanded Club World Cup faced challenges with attendance and perception, especially in Europe. Despite over a million empty seats due to oversize venues, the tournament averaged nearly 39,000 attendees. In Saudi Arabia, local enthusiasm was evident, especially during key matches such as Al-Hilal's draw with Real Madrid and a thrilling game against Manchester City. These events garnered millions of viewers, demonstrating the tournament's popularity in the region, interestingly even during unsociable hours. Local cafes charged entry fees due to high demand during games, highlighting the deep engagement of fans.
There was not a single place that didn't have the Al-Hilal game on, and everyone was off the streets and watching it. The freeway was so empty. On a Friday night, that never happens, not even during Ramadan.
Al-Hilal's Club World Cup adventure included a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid and a memorable 4-3 last-16 defeat of Manchester City after extra-time that gripped at least 1.5m viewers, even though it kicked off at 04:00 Saudi time.
According to analysis by Media Rating Company in Saudi Arabia, 5.1m people have watched the 25 games broadcast by MBC Group in the kingdom, with the 22:00 kick-off against Real Madrid the highest at 2.2m.
So many had the same idea that everyone had to pay a $30 entry fee, which came with a drink and a pastry or shisha.
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