SportsNews

Poor weather, low tickets, shock defeats – An overview of the ongoing 2025 Club World Cup

Published

2 months ago

June 21, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

There was little or no buzz ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup.

FIFA tried their best to generate excitement among football lovers but did not achieve much.

They included Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami under a special ‘host nation’ spot for the regular-season winners of MLS.

FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, even commented that Al Nassr superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo “might play in the Club World Cup” and increased the winner’s prize money by a whopping $35m.

But there are other factors that make any tournament successful.

One of them is the weather.

Players have had to battle through difficult conditions for some matches, as kick-offs are scheduled at noon and 3pm local time on scorching hot summer days.

For the Paris Saint-Germain vs Atletico Madrid group match at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the temperature was recorded at 31 degrees Celsius shortly after kick-off at midday local time.

PSG manager, Luis Enrique, claimed afterwards that the heat “had an impact on the game.”

The fans have not been thronging to the stadium to watch either.

Messi-mania brought them in for the opening fixture against Al Ahly, and PSG thrashed Atletico Madrid in front of 80,000 fans in Los Angeles a day later.

But Monday’s Chelsea vs LAFC encounter at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was played out in front of 22,137 spectators – less than one-third of the stadium’s 75,000 seat capacity.

On the same day, a Group C match between Flamengo and Esperance attracted 25,797 fans to Philadelphia’s 69,000-seat Lincoln Financial Field, representing a 37.4% attendance rate.

After one week of the Club World Cup, how has it gone?

“My opinion of it before the tournament started, was that it was unnecessary and just an extra set of games adding to the already awful schedule,” Clinton McDubus, a top football analyst and podcaster, tells Ekwutosblog.

“Now, while I still think the schedule is crazy, my opinion on the tournament itself has changed.

“The idea makes some sense, but there has to be a way to do it better.

“Of course, it’s the first edition. So it will grow with time. I like the idea of it now, especially for the non-European teams.”

McDubus also shared some suggestions as to how FIFA could make the competition better.

He said: “Where it’s hosted, to begin with. So far, America seems to be a poor choice.

“The incessant weather stoppages, the attendance issues (some due to timing of games, and also due to how difficult it is to even get a visa to the USA right now).

“Also, the ‘Superior Player of the Match’ decisions being publicly voted has led to integrity issues.”

According to McDubus, the quality of football has been generally okay.

“I think the quality has been generally very good, apart from some obvious exceptions like the Bayern/Auckland game,” he said.

“The South American and African teams have shown a lot of quality, especially.

“Many expected this to be a walk in the park for the European teams but we’ve seen a bunch of them fail to win so far,” he added.

We have gotten the chance to see every of the 32 teams at the tournament.

Some of the early favourites have not set America alight.

Real Madrid, for instance, played out a 1-1 draw with a competent Al-Hilal side. UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan, were also held to a 1-1 draw by Monterrey.

In their second group fixtures, PSG and Chelsea have suffered shock defeats to Palmeiras and Flamengo..

But for McDubus, his favourites to win from what he has seen so far, is PSG – the current champions of Europe.

“I think PSG look unstoppable right now. They should be regarded as favourites.

“Then Manchester City, Bayern and Real Madrid,” he added.

SportsNews

3,312 footballers to compete in 202 matches, as Abia begins talent hunt

Published

2 days ago

August 9, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Abia State Government says it would fish out hidden male football talents through the Abia State Soccer Fest commencing on August 23, 2025, across the 17 LGAs of the State.

The State also disclosed that new football stars would be discovered for Abia State, Nigerian Premier League clubs, Nigerian national teams and major European clubs from the competition.

Addressing journalists on Friday, the Vice Chairman of the Local Organization Committee, LOC of Abia Fest, Captain Eric Asomugha said that the competition would commence on August 23 in 184 Wards of the State and would culminate in best teams from 17 LGAs competing at State level.

He said that the tournament, which is being organised by Abia State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, is for players between the age bracket of 16 and 23 years.

“Over 6 or 7 months. We are working on different things. We are going to have the best player in each match.

“We shall be inviting scouts from local, state, national and international to fish out the talents that are going to be discovered in this great tournament,” said Asomugha.

Also, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development , Nwaobilor Ananaba thanked Governor Otti for his policies in the discovery of talents and sports development in general.

They made it clear that every male resident between the ages of 16-23 is free to participate, as Governor Otti had already abolished the “State of Origin” dichotomy.

SportsNews

EPL: Guardiola confirms another big injury for Rodri

Published

2 days ago

August 9, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Manchester City defensive midfielder, Rodri has suffered another injury setback.

The Spain international will be out at least until mid September.

The Ballon d’Or winner is said to have suffered the injury during Manchester City’s clash with Al Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup.

However, Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola who shared the news on Friday, said the midfielder was getting better.

He said the player could be returning to action during the FIFA international break in September.

Guardiola said as quoted by Fabrizio Romano via SPBAJ, “Rodri is getting better but had a big injury against Al Hilal.

“He’s trained better, we hope after the international break is when he will be really fit.”

Rodri spent almost the whole of 2024-25 season on the sideline due to injury.

SportsNews

OWERRI ZONE ADC CHAIRMAN PROMOTED TO NPFL REFEREE ASSESSOR. COMPLETES COURSES FOR 2025/26 SEASON.

Published

3 days ago

August 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The former Imo State Chairman of ADC party and a Retired Nigeria Premier League Referee Hon Engr Andyson Obani has earned promotion into NIGERIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NPFL) REFEREE ASSESSOR cadre.

As he completed the mandatory promotion Course recently organized by NIGERIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION in conjunction with Nigeria Football Referee Association at Moshood Abiola’s Stadium Fct Abuja.

This top class Premier league referee of class 2006 officiated Nigeria highest league over a decade before his retirement in 2018.

As a vast experienced sports manager, having been assessing Nigeria National League Referees for the past five years , the NFF/NRA deemed him fit on merit and duely qualified for promotion from Imo State.

Engr Andyson Obani‘s love for conventional politics as a Pan-Afrikist started in 2015 when he joined AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS PARTY a minor Minority party in I’m State with little or no visibility.

His entrance into the party brought revived the strenght of imo ADC when he rallied his allies ( sports, Unionism and civil Societies ) into Imo Adc.

The highpoint was in 2018 when he collapsed OWERRI OKIGWE ZONES GREAT ALLIANCE OZGA into ADC, A move that reshaped imo Adc in 2019 with six guber aspirants while Andyson contested for the Ezinihitte stare Assembly with good results.

This tactical move earned him accolades by the National Leadership of the party led by Chief Ralph’s Okey Nwosu (Ikolo Awka) and was sent for “Leadership Transformation Course” at ADC global campus Abuja under the mentorship of Hi-Chief Anayo Arinze (Eko Awka ) before his appointment as the state chairman.

He has been a congressman that supervised the following congresses: Abia-2018, Imo-2019, Rivers-2021 Cross Rivers-2022, imo-2023 and Presently the SVC Imo East.