GM football fans. It’s Monday, June. 16 - Fifa slashes Club World Cup ticket prices to fill up the opening fixture, Mexico are favourites to win the Gold Cup, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURE
Club World Cup: Chelsea vs. Los Angeles FC, 16 June, 20:00 / 15:00. The Blues will be looking to build on last month’s Uefa Conference League win when they arrive in the United States. Enzo Maresca’s side have won eight of their last nine games in all competitions, scoring 17 and conceding only five in that time. LAFC are also in good form; the reigning US Open Cup Champions are unbeaten in their last 10 games in all competitions.
TV Channels: Channel 5 or DAZN (UK) | DAZN (US) | DAZN (Canada)
Results…
TOP TALKING POINTS
Ticket Prices Defended
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the Club World Cup’s ticket price cuts, describing them as part of a marketing initiative. The governing body slashed prices for the tournament to as low as $4 for the opening fixture between Inter Miami and Al Ahly—tickets listed initially at $349.
Students were offered four free tickets with the purchase of one $20 ticket. The lower-cost packages helped achieve a 93% fill rate for the first match, despite there reportedly being 20,000 unsold tickets a few days ago; the final attendance was announced to be 60,927.
Fifa’s dynamic pricing model, where prices fluctuate based on demand, will continue to work in fans’ favour if demand remains low; although Fifa are counting on (paywall) large US fanbases of established European clubs and the tendency for fans to purchase tickets closer to matchday to help drive attendance and prices.
Gold Cup Projections
The Concacaf Gold Cup, the premier international competition for teams in North and Central America, has begun, with 13 venues across the United States and Vancouver hosting games. Saudi Arabia are also taking part in this year’s tournament as guests. The full fixture schedule can be found here.
Opta’s prediction model has Mexico as 30.1% favourites to win the tournament. The holders have won half of the previous 18 editions of the Gold Cup since it rebranded from the Concacaf Championship in 1991, finishing as runners-up twice and never failing to make the last eight. They started this year’s campaign with a 3-2 win (see match report) over the Dominican Republic.
USMNT are the second favourites to win the tournament with a 27.1% chance. While they won five of their first six games under Mauricio Pochettino, their momentum stopped when defeats to Panama and Mexico saw them finish fourth in the Nations League. Meanwhile, Canada are the third favourites (12.6%) after finishing fourth in last year’s Copa America—only losing to the eventual winners.
First Multi-club IPO
Crystal Palace's parent company, Eagle Football Holdings (EFH), is set to become the first multi-club group (paywall) to file for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Despite this being the first multi-club listing, it is not uncommon for individual clubs to be publicly traded.
An IPO would raise fresh funds and also increase the group’s visibility in the American and global investment communities. If successful, this could prompt other multi-club groups like Red Bull and City Football Group to follow suit.
It is unclear how EFH’s IPO will impact Crystal Palace’s eligibility for the Europa League next season. John Textor, the American businessman, owns stakes in both Palace and Lyon. Last week, Palace argued to Uefa that Textor’s stake is non-controlling and therefore does not violate multi-club ownership rules.
Learn more about what an IPO is here.
POLL
Are fans at risk of football fatigue with so many summer fixtures?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Tottenham Hotspur have started legal proceedings against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS over a terminated sponsorship deal (More) | James Milner extends Brighton contract with Premier League appearance record in sight (More)
> The Italian National Team have appointed Gattuso as their new manager (More) | The Italian government and Serie A are in a standoff regarding revenue and media distribution rights (More)
> Real Madrid sign 17-year-old Argentinian midfielder Masantuno on a six-year deal for £38.5m (More); see his player profile (More)
> Paul Pogba is in talks to join AS Monaco after a two-year football absence (More)
> Paris Saint-Germain have started planning for a new stadium in the city’s suburbs (More)
Americas
> Gerard Pique’s Kings League targets USA launch by 2026 (More)
> Philadelphia Union stay top of the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 win over Charlotte FC (More) | Columbus Crew beat Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps; despite this, Vancouver remains top of the table by two points with a game in hand (More)
> Kansas City Current maintains their five-point NWSL lead following their 4-2 win over Racing Louisville (Current standings) | The 2025 NWSL title game on November 22 will be hosted at San Jose’s PayPal Park (More)
> Louisville City keep their Eastern Conference top spot after extending their unbeaten run to 12 games (More) | FC Tulsa didn’t take the Western Conference lead after they drew to Phoenix Rising, and current leaders New Mexico lost; two points separate the top five teams (Current standings)
Rest of the World
> Al Ahli make contact with Ange Postecoglou in case current coach Matthias Jaissle leaves this summer (More)
> Inter Milan and Iran forward Mehdi Taremi is stranded in Iran and is set to miss the Club World Cup (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Thursday’s Poll: Will you be watching/attending the Club World Cup this weekend?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👀 Yes... (49%)
🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope... (48%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (3%)
Editor’s Note: Today’s Routers’ Voice was one of the tightest polls we’ve ever had. Thank you all for the submissions!
Your punditry takes:
👀 G.J: “My son plays for PSG Academy in LA so we are going to PSG vs Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl. Plus, we are going to Chelsea vs Flamengo in Philly and Man City vs Juventus in Orlando. My son is nine, and for him to get a chance to see these teams in person without going to Europe is a real treat.”
👀 E.M: “I will be volunteering for the tournament in Nashville, and it will be interesting to see turnout, especially considering the lack of people that showed up for the USMNT friendly vs Switzerland.”
👀 S.C: “I plan to watch several on television. I live near one stadium and purchased tickets for every game during the presale window. Prices are now a third of what I paid, so I won't repeat that next year for the World Cup.”
🙅♂️ S.R: “Just had the Premier League season finish, along with all the European Leagues and Cups, then the Nations League semis and final. Also have season tickets for our MLS team. Too much football to have any interest in a month-long 'made up' tournament. I might watch the final, but that's about all. I need a break, as do the players!”
🙅♂️ D.W: “Definitely not, purely a money-making scheme with no consideration for the player’s welfare nor the real fans’ financial burden of following their team.”
EXTRA TIME
All the transfers in the top five leagues so far.
Five records Messi could break at the CWC.
Unofficial fixture schedule for next season.
Trent spoke fluent Spanish in debut Madrid speech…
… and why he is not allowed the no. 66 shirt.
Every Premier League kit for the 2025-26 season.
Complete list of brothers who have played in the Bundesliga.
Why teams might play more long balls next season.
GAME FACE ON
Question: Which team at this year’s Club World Cup has the most World Cup winners in their squad?
Clue: They have six World Cup winners in total.
Scroll below for the answer.
ON TODAY
Club World Cup
Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders (03:00)
Boca Juniors vs Benfica (23:00)
Chelsea vs Los Angeles (20:00)
*All times in UK. ET -5. CDT -6. PDT -8. MDT -7. CET +1.
Answer
Atletico Madrid. Griezmann, Lemar, Alvarez, Correa, Molina, Rodrigo De Paul.
Want more? Try our daily football Wordle – guess the name of a current or former player in six tries. Play it here.
I’d probably give up one Premier League [with Man CIty] to win [the Europa league] with Tottenham.
