By Sama Marwan,
In a surprising move, FIFA has significantly reduced ticket prices for the quarterfinal matches of the 2025 Club World Cup in response to weak fan turnout at several games.
According to the official ticketing partner, Ticketmaster, tickets for the highly anticipated match between Brazil’s Fluminense and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at Camping World Stadium in Orlando now start at just $11.15 (GBP 8.17). Similarly, tickets for Chelsea’s clash against Palmeiras are priced as low as $22.30—far below the group stage prices earlier in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the marquee showdown between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is now selling at $44.60, a significant drop from its original listing set by FIFA.
A report from The Athletic revealed that FIFA implemented a “dynamic pricing” model, adjusting prices based on demand—an approach that has benefited late buyers but frustrated early purchasers who paid premium prices. For example, lower bowl seats that were once listed at $500 are now being sold for as little as $22 (Chelsea vs Palmeiras) and $27.90 (Al Hilal vs Fluminense).
On the secondary market, however, ticket prices for some high-profile matches are surging. For the Bayern–PSG match, some premium seats have soared past $140, while upper-tier tickets remain around $44.
Real Madrid continues to be the tournament’s biggest crowd-puller, averaging over 60,000 attendees per match. Tickets for their upcoming match against Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium this Saturday are priced at $128 for upper levels, with lower-level resale tickets exceeding $300.
Despite FIFA’s official numbers citing over 2 million total attendees with an average of 35,000 per match, several games have been played in nearly empty stadiums—especially in large venues built for American football.
In the Round of 16, the average attendance was 42,750, but with significant variation: matches like Chelsea vs Benfica and Inter vs Monterrey drew fewer than 26,000 fans, while games like Real Madrid vs Juventus, PSG vs Inter Miami, and Bayern vs Flamengo drew crowds of over 60,000.
To boost attendance, FIFA distributed free tickets to veterans and local residents, and launched promotional discounts, such as offering college students $20 tickets to Inter Miami vs Al Ahly with four additional tickets included at no cost.
Opening match tickets, once priced at $230 in January and peaking at $349 post-December draw, dropped to $55 just a week before kickoff.
However, prices for the semifinals and final remain steep. The second semifinal (Real Madrid/Dortmund vs PSG/Bayern) starts at $978, while the first semifinal (Al Hilal/Fluminense vs Chelsea/Palmeiras) starts at $473.90. Final tickets for July 13 are holding steady at a minimum of $892, though prices may still fluctuate based on demand.
This dramatic price variation underscores the commercial dominance of Europe’s elite clubs, especially Real Madrid, whose presence continues to wield significant influence in the U.S. market—outshining many of the other participants.
