Club World Cup 2025: Why Are Stadiums Sitting Half Empty?

Empty seats at Club World Cup 2025

Gianni Infantino might have been too preoccupied with giving iShowSpeed the keys to the footballing realm to notice, but the numerous vacant seats that dotted Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday did not reflect well on his creation.

Infantino’s reimagined FIFA Club World Cup has faced criticism from skeptics who view it as merely a cash grab, while others see it as an opportunity for teams from around the globe to compete against powerful European giants.

The United States was chosen as a fitting host nation a year prior to the official World Cup returning to North America. This summer’s event could serve as a test run for 2026, when passionate fans from 48 countries will flock to 16 cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Five of the stadiums slated for next summer’s grand celebration are currently being utilized for this Club World Cup, yet the reaction from fans has been lukewarm at best. Most of the excitement has come from traveling supporters from South America and North Africa, but the ideal scenario Infantino envisioned has yet to materialize.

Why have there been so many empty seats?

Attendances at the 2025 Club World Cup So Far

Fixture	Location	Attendance	% of Capacity
Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami	60,927	93
Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City	TQL Stadium, Cincinnati	21,152	81
PSG vs. Atletico Madrid	Rose Bowl, Pasadena	80,619	90
Palmeiras vs. Porto	MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford	46,275	56
Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders	Lumen Field, Seattle	30,151	44
Chelsea vs. LAFC	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	22,137	32
Boca Juniors vs. Benfica	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami	55,574	85
Flamengo vs. ES Tunis	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia	25,797	38

The attendance at the beginning of the tournament hasn’t been entirely negative. Although there haven’t been any sellouts as promised by the FIFA president, stadiums were at least 81% occupied for half of the initial six matches.

The opening game between Inter Miami and Al Ahly saw 93% of seats filled—thanks in large part to a drastic reduction in previously exorbitant ticket prices—while over 80,000 fans witnessed European champions Paris Saint-Germain dominate Atlético Madrid with a 4–0 victory at the Rose Bowl.

MetLife Stadium, which will host next month’s final and the equivalent international showcase next summer, was only about half full during its first match of the tournament featuring Palmeiras and Porto. Nevertheless, the Brazilian fans created an incredible atmosphere in New Jersey, making it feel as though the stadium was packed to capacity.

A similar situation unfolded during Flamengo’s 2–0 victory over ES Tunis, where both fan bases contributed to a lively and vibrant atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Despite only 38% of the stadium being filled, the usual emptiness associated with numerous vacant seats was notably absent.

High ticket prices, ineffective marketing, and stringent security protocols are believed to be significant reasons for the lack of sellouts. Additionally, there were unique factors that contributed to the “strange” environment, as Enzo Maresca described it, during Chelsea’s 2–0 win over LAFC on Monday.