According to The Athletic, tickets for the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Fluminense, originally priced at $473.90, were slashed to just $13.40 three days before kickoff.
This drastic price cut is FIFA’s latest attempt to boost attendance at the expanded Club World Cup, with president Gianni Infantino determined to prove the tournament’s viability to clubs, broadcasters, and sponsors. Remarkably, the cut-price ticket was even cheaper than a cheesesteak ($15) or a beer ($14) at MetLife Stadium, where the match will be held. Premium lower-tier seats were also reduced to $44.60.
The Athletic reported evidence suggesting FIFA emailed volunteers last week offering up to four free tickets to all quarter-finals except Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund. Though welcomed by many volunteers, this move raised eyebrows as they were initially told during training they would not receive free tickets. Volunteers were also asked not to wear uniforms when attending, ostensibly to avoid confusing paying fans—though some speculate it was to make the stands appear more full with “regular” spectators. FIFA declined to comment on this.
The tournament’s ticket sales are handled via Ticketmaster, with FIFA employing a dynamic pricing system that has seen prices fluctuate sharply, usually downwards. For example, tickets for Chelsea vs Fluminense were:
• $473.90 on Wednesday
• Dropped to $44.60 by Friday noon
• Reduced further to $27.90 on Saturday morning
• And bottomed out at $13.40 by Saturday afternoon
This means fans who waited paid just 2.8% of the price others had paid three days earlier. FIFA has not addressed whether early buyers will receive refunds or compensation.
Both semi-finals are set for MetLife Stadium. The second semi-final—featuring PSG vs either Real Madrid or Dortmund—saw similar swings. Its standard ticket price was $978 on Wednesday, fell to $199.60 by Saturday noon, then briefly spiked to $266.60 after PSG beat Bayern, before dropping again.
The steep reductions suggest FIFA overestimated demand for the expanded competition. While group stage matches averaged over 35,000 attendees, some fixtures had large sections of empty seats. Quarter-finals tickets were also heavily discounted—some to as low as $11—with PSG vs Bayern’s prices reduced to $44. That match drew 66,937 fans, filling 89% of the venue. Chelsea vs Palmeiras reached 95% capacity, while Fluminense’s win over Al Hilal had 66% attendance.
Even before the tournament began, FIFA reportedly feared poor turnout. The Athletic noted FIFA spent over $50 million on marketing, including social media campaigns and influencer partnerships. To fill seats for Inter Miami’s opening match against Al Ahly, FIFA offered students from a partner university tickets for $20 each and up to four additional free tickets per person.
Inter Miami’s ticket prices fell from a high of $349 post-draw in December to $230 in January, then halved to $55 a week before kickoff.
FIFA confirmed plans to continue dynamic pricing for next year’s World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico. In response to The Athletic, FIFA said:
“Volunteers are an integral part of every FIFA tournament’s success. Where possible, inviting them to matches as a gesture of appreciation is common practice. We are proud of the 8,000 volunteers supporting the first expanded Club World Cup.”
“As previously stated, public ticket sales for this tournament have used dynamic pricing since opening in late 2024, adjusting prices based on demand and availability in line with local market practices and regulations.”
HBKdll
19
hosting football in USA is insult to the game.