The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, "Messi mania" and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world football body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest.

The Club World Cup will take Inter Miami from start-up to the global stage. Just five years after its MLS debut, the team co-owned by David Beckham and starring

To say Lionel Messi is by far the best player in this Inter Miami team is unfair. He is more akin to a pink human vortex through which all things bright and beautiful must pass. There is a shared understanding among his team-mates that if Messi is open to receive a pass then pass to Messi they shall,

There were huge swathes of empty red seats in the 71,000 capacity Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta as ticket sales appeared to have flopped for Chelsea's opener against LAFC

The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, "Messi mania" and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world football body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest.

Key TakeawaysThe monthlong, 32-team FIFA Club World Cup kicks off Saturday with global superstar Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF taking on Egyptian club Al Ahly FC at Hard Rock Stadium near Miami.Despite some of the biggest clubs in world soccer taking part in the competition,