The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has been a blast in terms of goals, galore, and fixtures. But despite remarkable output on the pitch, the attendance in the stadium has been a far cry from what the organizers expected it to be. And yet, there is women’s soccer, where a typical North American rivalry clash featuring the USWNT and Canada has lured in a huge crowd at the stadium.
In fact, by ‘huge crowd’, we mean sold out. Yes, you heard it correctly! Held in Washington, D.C.-based Audi Field on Wednesday, July 2, not a single ticket was marked as unsold. As a matter of fact, as the match was just about to begin, ardent fans who couldn’t get their hands on the tickets were looking for resold ones that a few were selling.
Thank you DMV! Tonight’s match vs. Canada is SOLD OUT. Please plan to Arrive Early!
Fans still looking for tickets can find verified resale tickets through @Ticketmaster: https://t.co/c0fFHroejd pic.twitter.com/m0CuqeHQ1T
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 2, 2025
FIFA President Gianni Infantino once stood alongside U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, boldly proclaiming that “millions of people will be coming,” stoking anticipation for the 2025 Club World Cup. Phrases like “a big bang” and “the most coveted competition in club football” were thrown around to build the spectacle. But the current reality has been nothing short of an embarrassment.
Take, for instance, the Group D opener between Chelsea and Los Angeles FC. Played at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which boasts a capacity of 71,000, the game saw just over 22,137 spectators in attendance. Viral images highlighted the dismal turnout, showing the entire upper tier closed off and swathes of empty seats elsewhere. Even Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca commented on the odd vibe, saying post-match, “I think the environment was a bit strange, the stadium was almost empty, not full.”
What makes this more glaring is that merely two years ago, Chelsea faced fellow Premier League side Newcastle at the same venue during the Summer Series, drawing a sold-out crowd of nearly 70,000. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to Atlanta United, generally pulls in an average of 44,037 fans per match. For even sharper contrast, the current average attendance in the NWSL exceeds 11,000 — a figure that has significantly grown in recent times. Meanwhile, the Club World Cup has fallen flat, struggling to draw similar enthusiasm.
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