Despite images of empty stands at some matches during the first week of the new Club World Cup, FIFA announced on Tuesday night in a statement that nearly 1.5 million tickets have been sold for the tournament being held in the United States, a record number.
The World Cup, which features 32 teams, has seen good attendance at high-profile matches such as the goalless draw between Leo Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly, which drew 60,927 spectators to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, and Sunday’s big clash at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, which welcomed 80, 619 fans to witness Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid. This figure represents the highest attendance for both clubs in the 2024-25 season.
However, other matches have not had the same public response, and a good example was Tuesday’s match between Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—with a capacity of 82,500—which attracted 34,736 spectators. Earlier, on Monday, the clash between Chelsea FC and Los Angeles FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta drew 22,137 attendees to a venue with a capacity of 71,000.
Real Madrid guarantees a full house
Despite empty stands at some matches, FIFA expects the most prominent matches of the group stage to attract more than 50,000 fans. These include Real Madrid’s debut against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in Miami, their clash with CF Pachuca in Charlotte, and their match against FC Salzburg in Philadelphia. Real Madrid has guaranteed FIFA a full house in US stadiums, although there are also other high-profile matches that will see full stands, such as Chelsea FC vs. Flamengo in Philadelphia and Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors in Miami, both scheduled for Friday.
“FIFA is proud of a unique atmosphere”
FIFA has also reported that fans from more than 130 countries have purchased tickets for the tournament, with the United States being the country with the most buyers, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the organization will donate $1 for every ticket sold to the FIFA Global Education Fund, launched in April 2025 to improve access to education and soccer for children around the world.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the multicultural atmosphere of the tournament in the same statement and thanked fans for their support. “FIFA is proud of the unique atmosphere that this new competition has generated and thanks every fan who has brought their voice, passion, and presence.”