Chelsea began their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup journey with a 2-0 victory over host side Los Angeles FC, but the match’s atmosphere, or lack thereof, became a significant talking point after the final whistle.
Blues Start Strong with Composed Performance
In their Group D opener on Monday, the Premier League giants delivered a solid performance to see off the MLS outfit at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Goals from Neto in the 34th minute and Enzo Fernández in the 79th sealed the win.
Fernández’s goal came via an assist from new signing Cole Palmer, who, along with fellow summer recruit Cesare Casadei, made his debut off the bench. Palmer’s pinpoint cross from the wing showcased his understanding of Chelsea’s playing style, which drew praise from head coach Enzo Maresca.
“Palmer is already adapting well because he understands the kind of football we want to play,” Maresca said post-match.
Adding a bizarre twist to the game, former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, now representing LAFC, forgot to bring his jersey out of the dressing room before coming on as a substitute. The mistake delayed the start of the second half briefly and added a bit of comic relief to an otherwise tense fixture.
A “Fantastic Match” in Front of a Half-Empty Stadium
Despite the high-profile names and quality football, the official attendance was just 22,137 in a venue that can hold over 42,500 fans (expandable to 71,000). Maresca didn’t mince words afterwards.
“It was a fantastic match, but the atmosphere felt strange. The stadium was almost empty,” he said.
By comparison, Bayern Munich’s 10-0 rout of Auckland City on Sunday drew 21,152 fans at the smaller TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, which has a maximum capacity of just over 26,000, making its turnout more respectable in relative terms.
Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo also made a winning start, defeating Tunisia’s Étoile Sportive du Sahel 2-0 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Luiz Araújo was the star of the night, scoring once and assisting another, while Giorgian De Arrascaeta opened the scoring. Italy international Jorginho also played a key role with an assist.
The match drew a crowd of 25,797 in a stadium that holds over 67,000, better than Chelsea’s turnout, but still far from capacity.
Benfica and Boca Juniors Draw in Fiery Contest
Earlier in the day, Portugal’s Benfica and Argentina’s Boca Juniors played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in Group C, a match packed with drama, goals, and red cards.
Despite missing veteran striker Edinson Cavani, Boca stormed to a 2-0 lead through goals by Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia. But Benfica clawed their way back thanks to 37-year-old Nicolás Otamendi, who won a penalty (converted by Ángel Di María) and then headed in a late equaliser from a corner.
Otamendi (aged 37 years, 125 days) and Di María (37 years, 123 days) now rank among the oldest scorers in Club World Cup history, trailing only Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti (37 years, 127 days).
The game saw three red cards: Boca’s Guillermo Fernández was dismissed from the bench in the 45th minute for verbally abusing the referee, Benfica’s Andrea Belotti was sent off in the 72nd for a reckless high kick, and Boca’s Jorge Figal received a straight red in the 88th for a dangerous challenge.
Chelsea’s win sets the tone for their campaign, but low attendance figures have raised questions about the tournament’s appeal in the United States. With more big matches to come, the organisers will hope for better crowd turnouts and fewer forgotten jerseys.
