Chelsea Cruise to Club World Cup Win, But Where Were the Fans?
So, Chelsea kicked off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a solid 2-0 win over LAFC—but if you were watching, you probably noticed something even more eye-catching than the scoreline: the sheer number of empty seats. The game took place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, which can seat over 70,000 people. But only 22,137 fans showed up. That means there were almost 50,000 empty chairs. And to make it worse, the entire top tier was closed off.
The match was played on a Monday at 3pm local time—hardly an ideal slot for working fans. But the timing wasn't the only issue. Tickets were expensive leading up to the game, with last-minute prices dropping to around £26 just before kickoff. Even then, entire sections were still open, and you could buy tickets online during the first half with no problem. That says a lot about the hype—or lack thereof—surrounding FIFA's revamped Club World Cup.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca even commented on the strange atmosphere, calling the near-empty stadium “a bit strange.” Still, Chelsea did what they needed to do on the pitch. Pedro Neto opened the scoring in the 34th minute, and new signing Liam Delap impressed on his debut by setting up Enzo Fernández for the second goal late in the match.
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Now, LAFC did bring some energy, especially their small group of ultras, but they were heavily outnumbered. And yet, it was their noise that stood out more than Chelsea’s larger fan base, which only really reacted to goals or big referee calls.
This whole situation raises a few questions. Are fans just not interested in the new Club World Cup format? Or is it poor scheduling and marketing by FIFA? American journalists covering the match suggested both. Some argued that people don’t really understand or value the tournament yet. Others said FIFA dropped the ball by failing to properly promote the event locally.
It’s also worth noting that Chelsea have previously played at this exact stadium in front of a full house—more than 70,000 fans came out when they faced Newcastle in 2023. And Atlanta is no stranger to packed football crowds. Atlanta United, the local MLS team, averages over 44,000 fans per match.
So what gives?
FIFA might see this as just a hiccup in a new tournament, but it could also be a red flag. If people won’t show up for a Club World Cup game featuring a major European side like Chelsea, how confident can we be that next summer’s actual World Cup games won’t face similar issues—especially when ticket prices are high and games are held during working hours?
In the end, Chelsea got the job done on the field. But off the field? It was a strange and awkward start to what FIFA hoped would be a big success. Let’s see if the atmosphere picks up in the knockout rounds—because right now, this isn’t the kind of opening act you’d want for a World Cup dress rehearsal.
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