Four of the world’s top soccer teams face off at MetLife Stadium this week — and a cool reception by fans could mean deals for those most excited about the games.
The FIFA Club World Cup semifinals kick off Tuesday with a 3 p.m. match between Brazil’s Fluminense and London’s Chelsea at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The monthlong tournament pits winning club teams from each continent against each other. It’s being hosted in the United States for the first time as a prelude to next year’s FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“ I see the whole tournament as a friendlier game among soccer clubs,” Nan Wei, a soccer fan from Williamsburg who spent thousands of dollars traveling to watch more competitive Champions League semifinal games last year, said.
While this year’s Club World Cup features a new, expanded format, Wei said it doesn’t grab fans’ attention the same way as the World Cup does. He said many teams would be playing at half-intensity, with their eyes on a share of the $1 billion pot, but not willing to risk injury.
“ I think the level is not as premium as the other ones,” Wei said, comparing the tournament to a Gucci dupe.
Amid reportedly sluggish ticket sales for the cup, diehard fans can get some bargains. As of Tuesday morning, tickets were still available for that afternoon’s Fluminense vs. Chelsea semifinal game at MetLife directly from Ticketmaster for as little as $44.
If you hit a magic moment for sales, the tickets could get even cheaper. The Athletic reported on Saturday that tickets were $13, down from $473.90 a few days earlier. The Club World Cup is using a dynamic ticket-pricing model, which means prices can vary hour by hour depending on demand.
Starting prices for Wednesday’s Paris Saint-Germain v. Real Madrid C.F. semifinal at MetLife were higher on Tuesday morning, but could vary as well. Those who want to see Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé in the flesh could get tickets Tuesday for about $170.
Sunday’s final, which will put the winners of those semifinals against each other, were going for $265 and up.
The average cost of attending a Chelsea football game in the 2025-26 season is above $700, according to SeatPick, making the tournament pricing a relative steal.
The cup’s schedule is optimized for European prime time, which might not have helped with ticket sales. The games kick off locally at 3 p.m. mid-workday and mid-summer heat.
Tuesday’s game will take place under a heat advisory and could be threatened by a thunderstorm. The heat index is expected to reach around 100 degrees.
Meanwhile, immigrant advocacy and human rights groups told FIFA in an open letter earlier this month that U.S. immigration policies and reports of stepped-up enforcement around the games could make international attendees unsafe.
At MetLife, attendance for last weekend’s Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund game was 92%, based on figures reported by ESPN and the stadium’s capacity. But Fluminense’s game against South Korea’s Ulsan two weeks prior had approximately 1 in 3 seats filled.
FIFA did not respond to a request for comment on attendance concerns.
If you are content to watch the game from the comfort of your home or workplace, you can stream it for free on streaming service DAZN with an account.
Outdoor viewing at the World Trade Center Oculus was initially planned but has since been canceled due to what organizers said was an “abundance of caution … in alignment with recent guidance from state and security officials.”
You can still catch games at the Backyard at Hudson Yards or football-friendly bars like Banter and Kent Ale House in Williamsburg, Legends in Koreatown or Carraghers Pub in the Financial District.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
