Fans don't appear to be snatching up tickets to the Club World Cup
If slashed ticket prices, closed stadium sections and moved seats are any indication, fans aren't exactly clamoring to attend the Club World Cup.
The tournament opens Saturday with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami facing Al Ahly at Florida's Hard Rock Stadium. Thirty-two teams are taking part in the newly expanded tournament that will be played across 11 U.S. cities. The final is set for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Advertisement
On Ticketmaster, FIFA's official ticketing partner for the Club World Cup, the least expensive tickets to the opener were $349 in December. As of Thursday, there were tickets available for just under $80.
Upper deck seats for certain games at Seattle's Lumen Field and Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field were no longer available. Links to a smattering of resale tickets in those sections did not work.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that some sections of Lumen Field in Seattle had been closed, but did not offer details. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak on the record.
In Philadelphia, some ticketholders received messages that said they were moved.
Advertisement
'As we continue preparations to deliver a world-class event, we are making a few enhancements inside the stadium to optimize operations and ensure the best possible matchday experience for fans, players and the global broadcast audience," the message said. 'As a result of these stadium optimizations, some seats, including yours, will be relocated. We want to ensure you that your new seat will be in the same or better value zone than your original one.'
Ticketmaster used dynamic pricing for ticket sales, which is based on demand and other factors. They referred all questions about sales to FIFA.
FIFA did not respond to questions about whether sections were closed due to slow ticket sales, or whether fans who originally bought tickets in those sections were moved or offered refunds.
But soccer's international governing body did offer a general statement.
Advertisement
'We anticipate great attendances and electric atmospheres at its inaugural edition, with excitement growing with every round of matches and the tournament ultimately standing as the undisputed pinnacle of club world football,' the statement said in part. 'The appetite speaks for itself: fans from over 130 countries have already purchased tickets. The top 10 markets are led by the United States, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal — a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.'
With 32 international teams, there are undoubtedly some clubs that are unfamiliar to American audiences. There are also 63 total matches, meaning not all can occur in prime hours for fans.
Argentine club River Plate is playing Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on Tuesday at noon local time ($24 tickets), while a noon game between Brazil's Fluminense and Germany's Borussia Dortmund had tickets available via Ticketmaster for $23.
However, some matches were drawing fans, including Paris Saint-Germain's opener against Atletico Madrid on Sunday at the Rose Bowl, where the least expensive seats were $100.
Advertisement
The least expensive ticket for July's tournament final available through Ticketmaster was $769.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino urged fans to buy tickets at a hype event in the leadup to the tournament this week.
'Be part of history,' he said. 'Football is such an important sport all over the world. We have billions of people watching this Club World Cup from home who would love to club and to attend."
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Libyan Express
08-08-2025
- Libyan Express
U.S. welcomes ExxonMobil deal to boost gas exploration in Libya
BY Libyan Express Aug 08, 2025 - 06:15 ExxonMobil and Libya's NOC sign offshore gas exploration agreement The U.S. Embassy in Libya has welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between American energy giant ExxonMobil and Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC), aimed at advancing offshore natural gas exploration and production. In a statement, the embassy described the agreement as a development that would benefit both Libyan stakeholders and the American people, noting the long-standing role of the U.S. oil and gas sector in global energy markets. The MoU, signed Monday evening in London, outlines a framework for ExxonMobil to carry out extensive technical studies on four offshore blocks located off Libya's northwestern coast and in the Sirte Basin. These studies will focus on evaluating hydrocarbon potential through advanced geological and geophysical assessments. The agreement comes at a strategic moment for Libya, which is working to revitalise its energy sector and attract foreign investment. As global demand for natural gas continues to rise, tapping into Libya's offshore reserves has become a priority for both economic growth and energy security. The U.S. Embassy expressed satisfaction with what it called 'growing commercial partnerships that advance the prosperity of both the United States and Libya,' framing the deal as part of a broader vision for economic cooperation between the two countries. ExxonMobil had previously shown strong interest in the NOC's recent licensing round, which offered 22 offshore and onshore blocks for investment. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express. How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@ Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Border Patrol will be at the Club World Cup, says it''s routine to provide security for such events
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it regularly provides security at big sporting events in response to questions about the agency's presence at the FIFA Club World Cup amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the FIFA Club World Cup 26 is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl. Our mission remains unchanged," the agency said Thursday in response to an inquiry by The Associated Press. The agency had previously deleted a social media post that said its officers would be "suited and booted" for the opening round this weekend of Club World Cup games. FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed questions about CBP involvement during an event earlier this week promoting Saturday's opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. "No, I don't have any concerns about anything in the sense that we are already attentive on any security question," Infantino said. "Of course, the most important for us is to guarantee security for all fans who come to the games. And this is our priority." Border Patrol agents have routinely been called in to help with security for large events, including the Super Bowl. They handle things like screening cargo shipments into stadiums for hazardous materials and contribute to emergency planning. At last year's Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium, throngs of fans breached security gates and forced the game to be delayed. The Club World Cup opener Saturday comes amid protests in several cities over actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The Club World Cup features 32 teams from across the globe playing in 11 cities nationwide through July 13.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Trump's immigration shift? 'They've turned out to be great,' says US President on farm workers; watch video
Despite his typically hardline stance on immigration, US President Donald Trump on Thursday signalled a potential shift—suggesting some undocumented immigrants may be allowed to remain in the US to prevent labour shortages in critical sectors like agriculture and hospitality. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at a White House event, Trump said an executive order is being considered to allow certain undocumented immigrants to stay in the country, especially those working for American farmers. "Our farmers are being hurt badly. They have very good workers," Trump said. "They've worked for them for 20 years. They're not citizens, but they've turned out to be great. We're going to have to do something about that," he added. Trump indicated the possible executive action would also impact the hotel sector: "We can't take farmers and take all their people and send them back because they don't have maybe what they're supposed to have." "We're going to have an order on that pretty soon. We can't do that to our farmers," US President said. He did not specify what the order would contain or when it might be issued. Farm industry leaders have long urged the administration to shield agriculture from mass deportations, warning that such policies could severely disrupt the nation's food supply chain, which relies heavily on immigrant labour. According to the US Departments of Labour and Agriculture, nearly half of America's estimated 2 million farm workers—and many in the dairy and meatpacking industries—lack legal status. "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace," Trump wrote on his social media platform. "Changes are coming!" The US president's remarks come amid nationwide protests against immigration raids. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Demonstrators have criticised the targeting of undocumented immigrants without criminal records, especially those detained at their workplaces. Protests intensified last week following enforcement actions in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Trump acknowledged the broader economic consequences of strict immigration enforcement, including within the hotel industry—an area connected to his own business interests.
