FIFA slashes Club World Cup final ticket prices for PSG vs. Chelsea
Editor's note: This story was updated on July 12 to include new information
FIFA has again lowered prices for the Club World Cup final in an effort to attract more fans to attend the match on Sunday, July 13, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The cheapest standard admission ticket, to see reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain face English Premier League standouts Chelsea, has dropped from $312.20 to $249.75 two days before the final. They were lowered again to $206-$223, one day before the final.
Some seats in the back of the 100s sections initially in the $440-$546 range, were lowered to $334.50 to $473.90. Those have dropped to under $300.
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FIFA was criticized for high initial prices for tickets, but has adjusted pricing, taking supply and demand into account. The cheapest tickets for half of the Club World Cup’s group stage matches (24 of 48 total) were under $36 all-in with fees before taxes before the tournament. The Associated Press reported June 28 that at least 1 million tickets were unsold during the group stage.
FIFA says 2.4 million fans have attended Club World Cup matches – with an average of 38,000 – and 21 of the 62 matches already played saw at least 50,000. While empty seats were a major storyline, the tournament featured NFL-sized stadiums in addition to soccer-specific venues in order to potentially fit more fans.
The first semifinal between Chelsea and Brazilian side Fluminense had an announced crowd of 70,556. The Athletic reported tickets for that match lowered from $473.90 to just $13 in a three-day span before the Tuesday, July 8 match.
The Club World Cup’s semifinal match, which saw PSG dismantle Real Madrid had an announced crowd of 77,542 people at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday, July 9. The vast majority were fans of Real Madrid — arguably the most popular team in the sport globally. Real Madrid’s elimination certainly doesn’t help ticket sales for the final, which could possibly see prices drop further into the weekend.
However, the most attended Club World Cup match saw PSG beat Atletico Madrid in front of 80,619 fans at the Rose Bowl Stadium outside Los Angeles on June 20.