Chelsea play in front of 50,000 empty seats – apathy or bad scheduling?

Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over LAFC in their Club World Cup opener was played in front of vast swathes of empty red seats at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With just over 22,000 people scattered around a venue capable of holding 71,000, the atmosphere was subdued at best.

The game kicked off at 3 pm local time on a Monday—an awkward slot in a working city. The entire top tier was shut, but many of the remaining seats were untouched. FIFA had anticipated around 26,000 attendees.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admitted the environment was unusual. “I think the environment was a bit strange,” he said. “The stadium was almost empty, not full. We are professional and we have to adapt to the situation.”

Tickets remained on sale via online platforms during the game, some priced as low as £26. Before kick-off, the cheapest ticket hovered around £37, though many were reportedly more expensive prior to matchday.

The timing, cost, and unfamiliarity of the tournament appeared to have put off locals—even with Chelsea’s reputation. LAFC only joined the tournament after Mexican side Leon was disqualified. Despite their smaller travelling support, LAFC’s 150 ultras outshouted the larger Chelsea contingent.

The Club World Cup is being held solely in the United States as preparation for the expanded 2026 World Cup, set across the US, Mexico, and Canada. But the empty sections painted a concerning image for tournament organisers.

Two years earlier, Chelsea played in the same stadium against Newcastle and drew over 70,000 fans for a pre-season friendly.

Doug Roberson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed to scheduling and unfamiliarity. “The people aren’t here because it’s Monday at 3pm,” he said. “It’s a tournament that doesn’t mean a lot to people in the US because it’s new… The World Cup is coming next year and people are trying to save money for that.”

Jonathan Tannenwald from the Philadelphia Inquirer criticised FIFA’s publicity efforts. “When you come here you have to do a lot of marketing,” he explained. “There was no true local organising committee… That is on FIFA.”

BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty called the attendance “an early embarrassment” and flagged concerns around cost, value perception, and tournament oversaturation. “The sea of empty red seats… provided grim confirmation,” he wrote.

Some later matches saw better numbers. Boca vs Benfica pulled over 55,000 fans to Miami’s 65,000-capacity Hard Rock Stadium. Inter Miami’s clash with Al-Ahly opened the tournament in front of 60,927, while Paris St-Germain’s 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid drew 80,619.

But most fixtures—especially weekday group games—have thousands of seats still available. Even Real Madrid’s opener has official tickets remaining, though many resale listings exist.

Steve Cherundolo, LAFC manager, hinted that geography had played a part. “Maybe LA likes football more than Atlanta,” he remarked.

For now, the Club World Cup faces a tough challenge: convincing a North American audience—already being asked to budget for next year’s main event—that this competition is worth their money and time.