Major concern: FIFA puts the first match of the Club World Cup on sale at 84% lower price

FIFA is facing growing concerns just days before the Club World Cup kicks off, especially with ticket sales for the opening match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly lagging behind expectations. Less than 25,000 tickets have been sold for the game at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, which holds nearly 65,000 fans.

With just four days to go before the highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup begins, the world football governing body is growing increasingly concerned about poor ticket sales—especially for the opening match. According to The Athletic, FIFA has been forced to cut ticket prices by as much as 84% for Saturday’s match between Inter Miami (featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets) and Al Ahly of Egypt, set to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The stadium holds 64,767 seats, but some sources report that fewer than 25,000 tickets have been sold so far.

Prices slashed three times already

Tickets originally went on sale on December 19, and FIFA has already issued three separate price reductions. The latest cut happened last Wednesday, just ten days before the tournament starts. FIFA has also implemented a dynamic pricing system, which adjusts prices based on demand and ticket availability.

For example, tickets for the opening match, which originally cost $349, have now dropped to $55. They were first reduced to $230, then $110, and finally to the current price.

Premium seats drop from $790 to $285

While the $55 tickets for the opener are nearly sold out, many “premium experience” seats remain available. These originally started at $810 and have now dropped to $285. Tickets once priced at $585 are now available for just $140. Despite the price cuts, thousands of seats are still unsold, raising concern among tournament organizers.

Across all 63 matches, 3.6 million tickets are available for purchase.

Ticket prices by category

After all reductions, the average pricing looks like this:

• Lower tier: $35 to $55
• Mid-range: $55 to $110
• Prime seating: $110 to $285
• VIP/Premium experience: $410 to $2,290

For the knockout stages, prices rise significantly:

Stage	Price Range (USD)
Round of 16	$80 – $230
Quarterfinals	$305 – $535
Semifinals	$575 – $1,150
Final (July 13, MetLife Stadium)	$965 – $2,415

To boost advance sales, FIFA is offering deeply discounted semifinal tickets for $140 (down from $500 in December), and final tickets starting at $305, which were originally priced at nearly $2,100.

Real Madrid and Boca Juniors: Fan favorites

FIFA revealed that the countries showing the most interest in purchasing tickets so far are the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and Japan. Additionally, Real Madrid and Boca Juniors are the two clubs drawing the highest demand from American fans.

The top five most requested matches include:

1. Boca Juniors vs. Benfica
2. Boca Juniors vs. Bayern Munich
3. Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal
4. Salzburg vs. Real Madrid
5. Flamengo vs. Chelsea