Rose Bowl Posts Soccer Series Highest Attendance as FIFA Releases Club World Cup Figures

FIFA released its first official attendance figures for the Club World Cup on Tuesday, revealing that Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium recorded the tournament’s highest attendance with 80,619 fans for the Paris Saint-Germain versus Atlético Madrid match on June 15. The figures provide the first comprehensive look at fan turnout for the expanded 32-team tournament being held across 12 U.S. venues from June 14 to July 13.

“This is exactly what the FIFA Club World Cup was created for: a world-class stage where new stories are told, new heroes emerge, and club football fans feel part of something bigger,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement regarding tournament attendance and ticket sales.

The Rose Bowl’s crowd represented the largest attendance either European club had played in front of during their 2024-25 campaigns. The Pasadena venue’s success contrasted sharply with attendance struggles at other locations, as FIFA announced total attendance of 556,369 for the first 16 matches at an average gate of 34,773.

FIFA reported selling close to 1.5 million tickets as of June 17, with fans from more than 130 countries purchasing tickets. However, stadiums averaged only 56% capacity for the first 16 games, with 426,000 tickets remaining unsold out of 982,000 total tickets available.

The tournament’s top three attended matches all exceeded 60,000 fans. Real Madrid’s clash with Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami attracted 62,415 spectators, ranking second. The tournament opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly at the same Miami venue drew 60,927 fans to the 65,000-seat venue on June 14, completing the top three.

Several matches in the 63-match competition drew significantly smaller crowds. The lowest attendance was recorded at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, where only 3,412 fans watched Ulsan HD face Mamelodi Sundowns in the 25,500-capacity venue, representing just 13% of the stadium’s capacity. Chelsea’s match against LAFC in Atlanta attracted 22,137 fans in the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium, representing approximately 31% capacity.

FIFA had offered substantial ticket discounts to boost attendance, including $4 student tickets for the Inter Miami opener, where fans of the Egyptian team Al Ahly made up a large portion of the stadium. Three matches accounted for just under 204,000 of the 556,369 tickets sold for the first 16 matches (about 37%), with two of those matches seeing ticket prices massively discounted at the last minute.

The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey recorded 46,275 attendees for the Palmeiras versus FC Porto match, representing 56.1% of the 82,500-capacity stadium.

“FIFA is proud of the unique and multicultural atmosphere and support this new competition has already generated — and thanks every fan who has brought their voice, passion, and presence as the FIFA Club World Cup continues to grow into the undisputed pinnacle of global club football,” Infantino said in the FIFA statement.

Over 340,000 fans attended matches across the first three matchdays of the tournament. FIFA announced their millionth fan through the gate occurred during the 29th match between Juventus and Wydad, with approximately 3.5 million total tickets available for the entire tournament.

The competition represents the most inclusive in FIFA’s history, featuring teams from 20 countries and players from 81 total countries. As part of an initiative to raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, FIFA will donate $1 from every tournament ticket sold.

After 36 games played, 17 matches attracted less than 50% of their respective stadium’s capacity. FIFA projects several upcoming group stage matches will draw attendances over 50,000 fans, including Real Madrid’s remaining clashes and Bayern München’s showdown with Boca Juniors.

When previously addressing concerns about ticket sales, Infantino told AFP, “I believe the stadiums will be pretty full.”

The attendance figures provide crucial data for FIFA as the organization prepares to host the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with several Club World Cup venues also selected for the larger tournament.