Real Madrid is one of the 32 teams participating in the renewed FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament that will now be held every four years. With this new format, FIFA wants to bring the competition new life – making mass cash prizes to attract the largest clubs. The final champion will take home more than € 100 million.
To justify those prices, however, FIFA must fill stadiums – and that appears to be a challenge at this stage. Ticket sales have been slow for most competitions. But not for Real Madrid. Their debut on June 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, against Al Hilal of Saudi Aarabia, has already sold out.
Only legal resale tickets remain, available on the same platform that was initially sold out. Prices now start at $ 268 for the cheapest seats and go up to $ 1,126 – not including VIP packages.
Those are steep prices for a matchup at a relatively low-profile opponent like Al Hilal. Yet Madrid's star power is clearly a draw. The other two group matches are not sold out yet, but are well on the way.
The game of June 22 against Pachuca in Mexico in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte currently varies from $ 101 to $ 535. A sale seems likely, since Pachuca is a Mexican club that plays on the same continent. However, the interest can be somewhat tempered by the fact that these teams have recently encountered the Intercontinental Cup, where Madrid won 3-0.
The last group stage match, against Red Bull Salzburg in Philadelphia in the early hours of June 26-27, is also sold out. Remaining tickets are only available through legal resources, with prices between $ 238 and $ 945.
As the tournament progresses and the knockout rounds begin – especially as soon as European giants are confronted, the prices of ticket are expected to rise even higher. In the case of Madrid, that trend has already started, with all three games sold out or almost there.
For comparison: the confrontation between Atlético Madrid and PSG-Twee European clubs, where PSG was still the reigning Champions League winners available to the kick-off, with prices ranging from $ 80 to $ 373.