FIFA’s Infantino Unfazed by Club World Cup Ticket Sales in the U.S.
ATLANTA — In the world of sports, ticket sales can often be a barometer of an event’s success, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino seems to be taking a different approach when it comes to the upcoming Club World Cup in the United States. Despite some concerns about how well the 32-team event is selling across the country, Infantino remains optimistic.
Infantino made an appearance at the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday, where he was promoting the Club World Cup. He expressed confidence that the stadiums will fill up, drawing on past experiences where friendly matches between top-tier teams during preseason tours in the United States attracted large crowds.
“I’m not worried at all to fill a stadium when teams are coming to play a World Cup, to play for something real, not just an exhibition game where sometimes the second or third squads are fielded and so on,” Infantino said. “This is a real game. This is a real competition.”
He emphasized the significance of the event, stating, “This is a real World Cup. It’s the best players. It’s the best teams coming.”
Infantino acknowledged that FIFA has a role to play in educating fans about the Club World Cup, which has expanded to a 32-team competition for the first time. The previous format featured a 7-team version held in 2021, 2022, and 2023. However, FIFA officials have not released ticket sales numbers thus far, despite inquiries from ESPN on Monday.
For those eager to catch the action, the cheapest seat on Ticketmaster for the June 14 opening match in Miami Gardens, Florida, featuring Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF vs. Egyptian side Al Ahly, costs $356.80. Multiple sections in both the upper and lower decks of Hard Rock Stadium show over 100 tickets available on Ticketmaster.
The situation is similar for the second match of the tournament on June 15 in Cincinnati between Bayern Munich and Auckland City, with the cheapest seat going for a more reasonable $94.80 on Ticketmaster and multiple sections with over 100 tickets remaining.
For the first match at the Rose Bowl on June 15 between Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid, over half of the Rose Bowl’s 26 sections have at least 100 tickets available on Ticketmaster, with the cheapest seat being $133.80.
In an effort to boost sales, FIFA recently announced a package where fans can buy tickets to this summer’s Club World Cup with a “guaranteed option” to purchase a ticket to one of next summer’s World Cup games, excluding the final.
Infantino remains confident, saying, “When people see what it is, then they realize that they have to come. I was always told in the United States of America, you need to bring the best. Americans, they just want to see the best. They don’t want to see average things.”
“Well, the best are coming,” he added.
Infantino also touched on the possibility of Atlanta hosting a Women’s World Cup final. He joked that the 71,000-seat venue would need another 20,000 seats but indicated that the city, which will host 14 games between the Club and regular World Cups, including a World Cup semifinal next year, has a chance to make an impression.
While Infantino may say he’s not worried about ticket sales for the Club World Cup, he did make one thing clear: Tickets are still available.
He concluded his remarks by showcasing the Club World Cup trophy and announcing a $1 million contribution “for social projects” for children in Atlanta. “Let me do some publicity,” Infantino said at the podium. “There are still some tickets available. FIFA.com/tickets, get them and enjoy the best of the best playing for this, which is something incredible.”
Originally Written by: Michael Rothstein
