Charlotte, NC (AP) – Lifelong football fan Victor Dumois expressed his concern about the United States Co-hosting of the World Cup 2026 After attending a recent World Cup match in Miami.
“I think a strange phenomenon took place here after the Copa America,” said Dumois, who comes from Spain. “There are people who don’t like the World Cup who are in the United States.”
The Copa America Championship Game last year in Miami was a nightmare of securityWith overheated and ticketless fans who break down the barriers in a hard rock stage to come in. In the end the game was played, although some paying customers could never get to their seats because they were occupied. Some mentioned the debacle as an example of how unprepared the United States is to organize the greatest tournament of football.
Fast-Forward to this summer and the 32-Team Club World Cup, which was only organized in the United States.
Dumois said that the security was tight this time – almost to an error.
“In Spain it is different, you can just take an Uber or taxi to the stadium,” said Dumois and shares his thoughts about the round 16 match between Real Madrid and Juventus. “Here in Miami they have to leave you outside and far away. There is so many security layers, it’s too much.”
The Club World Cup, which enters the quarterfinals this weekend, served as an adjustment for the United States that, together with Canada and Mexico, will organize the World Cup 2026 in cities such as Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, San Francisco and Seat Angelle.
So far, the club tournament is not well visitedExcept a handful of competitions.
A round of 16 knockout match in Charlotte’s 75,000 seats Bank of America Stadium between Fluminense and Inter Milan only attracted 20,030 fans. Stadium -officials left fans who had bought the upper fitting cards to go to the lower bowl. Even then the lower bowl looked half full.
Empty seats have been a common face throughout the country.
There are several reasons why.
Firstly, the club tournament is simply not as popular as the World Cup, where players compete for their countries instead of a club team.
The costs – both For games and travel – have also kept something away.
And for some there have been persistent concerns about possible American immigration and customs enforcement attacks in competitions in the midst of President Donald Trump’s performance against illegal immigration.
The weather did not help either.
Benjamin Cabral lives in Boston, but his family is from Azoras, an autonomous region of Portugal.
He said that if FIFA hopes to grow the game in America, a planning change is needed. Due to the popularity of football in Europe, many club matches were played in the middle of the day, so that fans can watch games abroad on television or live stream in real time at night.
The disadvantage is that players are forced to play with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) while a big heat wave The states grabbed.
“If they try to grow their game in the US, they have to make the games later,” said Cabral. “It’s too hot here for the players.”
It has also not been easy for fans.
“There is no roof, no screens, not much,” said Carlos Olguin, who made the journey from Mexico to Charlotte to see Pachuca Real Madrid play.
Next year’s World Cup will be played during a similar time frame, starting mid -June and December in mid -July.
The excitement around the current event also remains a concern.
“The other in the city is that it must be more prepared for the event, because there are people who don’t even know that there is an event and so you go to a restaurant with the idea that there are flags, fans, more football things and there is nothing,” Olguin added to the World Cup club. “The city must be better prepared for the event, because there are people who don’t even know that there is an event.”
Regarding the locations, spectators who attend Club World Cup competitions offered various assessments of American stadiums and guest cities in the run -up to the country that has been organizing the World Cup for the first time since 1994.
“I will be honest, the US is not ready to organize the World Cup,” said Jeremy Zuniga from South Carolina. “There are too many people from South -America, Europe, everyone.”
Others, such as Rogerio Bajos van Peru, feel different.
“I think it was good, we have had no problems,” said Bajos, who also attended a CWC game in Miami. “Parking is not a problem, the security has been good. In general, an amazing spectacle.”
Humberto Contasta from Miami said that the club world cup should help the American fellow guest lords to iron problems before the following summer.
Daniel Marques, who made the journey from Portugal to Charlotte with the sole goal of watching Benfica Battle Chelsea in a groupplay match, said that he was generally impressed how the tournament was run.
Although, who grew up watching World Cup competitions in Brazil before moving to the United States almost ten years ago, he thought he thinks the United States will set up a good event next summer.
“I think the United States has everything, all the infrastructure to organize a World Cup,” he said. “So we are delighted to show them all fans from different places and let them come and family and it will be a great time.”
Freelancers Andres Jaime-Mendez and Max Feliu Merce contributed to this report.
