To sell out the Club World Cup Final between European juggernauts Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, FIFA needed to drop prices by 33% in the days leading up to the championship match. It was one of the tournament’s few sellouts. Concacaf was more fortunate with its Gold Cup Final, as it featured USMNT-Mexico in Houston. Price drops weren’t required, partly because face value was roughly half the price of the Club World Cup Final, and even cheaper on the secondary market. It was the tournament’s only sellout in a venue exceeding 30,000 seats.

Between the two tournaments, the U.S. hosted 94 matches, yet consistent attendance proved elusive. With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away and set to deliver 104 matches, mostly in NFL-sized stadiums, the turnout failed to inspire confidence in the U.S.’s ability to serve as the center of the soccer world.

Together, the Gold Cup and Club World Cup offered a rare preview of how the U.S. market might respond to FIFA’s expanded format and premium pricing. Both tournaments struggled to consistently draw fans, even when marquee teams were involved, a reflection of what happens when supply — and pricing — outpace demand.

Excluding its final against Mexico, the U.S. men’s national team averaged under 50% capacity through the group and knockout stages. That included just 11,727 fans for a match against Saudi Arabia in Austin, which has sold out every MLS game since Austin FC’s 2021 debut. A quarterfinal match against Costa Rica in........

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