The eight Round of 16 matches during the 2025 Club World Cup drew an average attendance of 42,751 fans each, an increase of 23% from the group stage of the competition (34,559). Only 62% of available seats for the Round of 16 were filled, however, as all eight matches were played in large NFL-sized stadiums. Through 56 matches, the event is averaging 35,900 fans per match. The quarterfinals will be held on Friday and Saturday, leading into the semifinals and finals at MetLife Stadium.
Crowds in the Round of 16, which took place from June 28-July 1, ranged from a low of 20,030 for Fluminense FC’s Monday afternoon victory over Inter Milan in Charlotte to a high of 65,574 in Atlanta for Paris St. Germain’s 4-0 thrashing of Inter Miami.
Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain remain the tournament’s top draws thus far, averaging 64,906 and 62,630, respectively, through their four matches. With Manchester City bowing out in the Round of 16 via a stunning upset loss to Saudi club Al Hilal, only four of the top 10 attendance teams -- Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich (No. 7) and Palmeiras (No. 9) -- remain heading into the quarterfinals.
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami has thus far been the most consistent venue from an attendance perspective, averaging 55,099 fans for each of its eight matches with 84% of seats filled. Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte saw a significant attendance dropoff in the Round of 16 after a strong group stage, averaging just 22,980 for Chelsea-Benfica and Fluminense-Inter Milan with just 31% of seats filled.
Through the Round of 16, six matches have been delayed due to severe weather. The latest came late in Chelsea’s knockout victory over Benfica in Charlotte, which ended up taking more than five hours to complete. The delays have led to criticism, particularly in European press, and concern about the potential for weather to wreak havoc on next summer’s World Cup.
The tournament has coincided with a heat dome in the Eastern U.S., where most matches are being held. The National Weather Service told SBJ the 11% delay rate (six of 56 matches) “does not seem unprecedented and [is] likely within a range you’d expect from climatology, especially the farther south you go.”
