The FIFA Club World Cup has begun in Seattle and the 32-team warmup for the World Cup in 2026 has raised eyebrows in the buildup to actually play on the field.
From crowd sizes to investments from Saudi Arabia and even rumors of tickets being given out for free, the Club World Cup has made headlines outside of the game of soccer.
But the tournament is starting to take shape, and after two group stage games in Seattle, the display of world football and the culture that follows is a sight to behold.
On June 17, with kickoff at noon local time, River Plate, arguably Argentina’s most prolific club, took on Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan. That team sits third in the J-League, and their biggest win came against Al-Hilal in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League in 2022, instantly qualifying them for the Club World Cup.
The stage was set for two international clubs — and not A-list squads like Paris Saint-German or Atletico Madrid or even the Sounders. Questions would be asked: How would the stadium look? What atmosphere would be set?
Those questions were answered well before the game even started.
As fans were walking in and around Lumen Field before kickoff, the militaristic chants from the Red Diamond’s ultras (aka, super passionate fans) echoed outside the stadium. The claps and synchronized chants brought an intensity that isn’t normally felt at soccer matches inside Lumen Field.
At the north end of the stadium, River’s ultras held their own. Flags were being waved there constantly and the white jersey with a red diagonal stripe was on nearly every patron sitting underneath the Hawks Nest.
River’s supporters had a more melodic support — it almost sounded like singing to their team as they went out on the field.
The juxtaposition of both teams and their way of showing fandom was a special sight.
That is what soccer is about. As a neutral spectator, fans can feel engulfed by each club’s culture. Soccer culture is so different in every corner of the Earth, and that is why the Club World Cup has the potential to be so special.
Fans can see how teams from Japan play, how their players interact with fans with great respect and admiration for their support. Teams from Argentina play with such fire and passion, and that is seen through their fans as they leave Lumen Field with raspy voices.
Art is on display all over the lower bowl — the banners that the fans travel with are fantastic. Soccer is the world’s game and if that is your cup of tea, then there is no reason to try and watch a game between two teams that are thousands of miles away from their home.
The play on the field also mattered to the players as well, and this game was very competitive for a tournament opening game between these two sides. River won 3-1, but there were plenty of chances for Urawa to level, and they even controlled the game for much of the first half, giving their spectators plenty of reasons to cheer.
Now there were still some drawbacks from an organizational standpoint. Neither team comes from an English-dominated society. River obviously comes from a Spanish-speaking culture, and Urawa obviously comes from a Japanese-speaking culture. Meanwhile, the public address announcer was only in English, and signage was in English, at Lumen Field.
Take the Olympics, for example. There will be an English announcer for spectators, but also French and Spanish announcements, for example, to give those spectators a chance to understand in their native tongue. I think there would be even more crowd involvement if that were the case.
That also has to do with the music choice too. Now I haven’t been to an international football match, but fighting crowd involvement with music is not a great strategy, and there is such an aura when two sides are battling to be the louder fan base. It gives a much better atmosphere.
Speaking of atmosphere, there was not much for fans to do outside of watching the games. There were a couple of pop-up souvenir shops where fans could spend $40 to $50 on a Club World Cup branded T-shirt, but no team merchandise is available. That’s a huge miss for the clubs to gain supporters in Seattle. Also, fan interactions are at a minimum. At the north entrance, there is a Coca-Cola branded fan experience, but that’s it. Nothing in the event center, nothing outside the stadium. The Sounders team store was not even open.
Hopefully for the World Cup there can be more for fans, similar to the 2023 MLB All-Star Week.
Even with those critiques, the Club World Cup has impressed me. Sure, on a Tuesday afternoon, Lumen Field looked empty. But with an announced attendance of 11,974, I think that is promising for the sport of soccer and the World Cup in 2026.