As the revamped Club World Cup gets ready to kick off this weekend, FIFA seems to be doing a bit of behind-the-scenes maneuvering—not with the players, but with the fans.

With ticket sales not exactly taking off as hoped, the footballing body is making sure at least one thing looks good on camera: the crowd.

Rearranging Fans for Better Optics

Sources close to the situation say some fans who purchased tickets are being quietly moved to different seats—ones that face the TV cameras.

The goal? To make the stadiums appear more packed than they actually are.

If you’re wondering whether this means people are being downgraded, FIFA insists that no one will end up in a worse seat than what they paid for.

In fact, some fans may even get an upgrade.

According to FIFA, this kind of seat shuffling is “commonplace” at big events and is intended to boost atmosphere as well as appearances on TV.

Still, the move has sparked questions about the overall appeal—and even the legitimacy—of this newly expanded tournament.

Big Tournament, Small Crowds?

Despite FIFA’s optimism, the numbers don’t lie.

One seating chart for a knockout game on June 28 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte tells a revealing story: one side of the nearly 75,000-seat stadium looks moderately full, the other side practically deserted.

That particular game will feature either the second-place team from Chelsea’s group or the winner of a group that includes Bayern Munich. Not exactly low-stakes.

Major Discounts and Refunds Already in Play

In an effort to boost attendance, ticket prices have been slashed dramatically.

Some early buyers have even been given partial refunds to compensate for the drop in prices.

For tonight’s opening match between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al-Ahly, local college students were reportedly offered five tickets for just $20—a far cry from the original $349 price tag when sales opened back in December.

A Make-or-Break Moment for FIFA’s Big Gamble

This isn’t just any tournament—it’s a major rebrand.

The Club World Cup has gone from a short, seven-team competition to a full-blown, 32-team month-long event.

It’s FIFA’s big play to claim a bigger piece of the global club football pie.

But with the spotlight on and expectations high, the image of empty stands could be a PR nightmare.

To complicate matters, the tournament’s broadcaster, DAZN, recently received a $1 billion investment from Saudi firm Surj—just two months after Saudi Arabia was named host of the 2034 World Cup.

The financial and political undertones are hard to ignore.

FIFA’s Official Response

FIFA, for its part, is staying upbeat. A spokesperson said the expanded Club World Cup marks “a new era in global club football” and praised it as a showcase for top teams from every continent.

According to FIFA, fans in over 130 countries have already bought tickets, and they expect excitement and attendance to build with each round.

But whether American audiences truly embrace the tournament remains to be seen.

For now, the story seems to be just as much about the optics in the stands as it is about the play on the pitch.