Chelsea coach: The atmosphere of the Club World Cup in the empty game is weird, and the lack of fans enthusiasm affects the experience

In the early morning of June 17, 2025, ESPN reported that Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca described the atmosphere of the team's 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in the club's World Cup. He described it as "weird" because the Mercedes-Benz Stadium has almost become an empty stage and few fans are present. The match Monday afternoon saw only 22,137 spectators appear in the grand stadium with a capacity of 71,000 people. The ticket sales problems of the club's World Cup continue to ferment, and the attendance rates of various venues are uneven. On Monday afternoon, the number of spectators in multiple areas of the lower stands of Mercedes-Benz Stadium was less than 100. Although ticket prices have been significantly lowered and the general tickets have dropped to $51, in Atlanta, a city known for its highest attendance in the Major League Soccer, the average number of attendees in 2024 is nearly 47,000, and the final stage of the game seems deserted. Chelsea's debut at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium did not attract a large audience as expected.

Maresca said: "The atmosphere of that game was indeed a bit weird. The stadium was almost empty, which was completely different from the warm atmosphere. But we were professional players and had to adapt to various environments. Whether it was crowded or empty stands, we had to deal with it. It was no big deal."

Atlanta was more than 2,000 miles away from Los Angeles, which was the home court of the MLS club Los Angeles FC. Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cellendolo expressed confusion about the attendance, not sure if it was due to the relationship between the two sides or if Los Angeles fans were more focused on the game itself, but he was not overly concerned about it. He pointed out that despite the exciting events, due to the diverse responses of the audience, "I don't think it's time to discuss this issue. We should wait until the event is over to give a comprehensive review of the entire process and evaluate the event as a whole, rather than judge based on the results of the current or single game."

Regarding the newly joined forward Liam Delapp, Maresca was asked about his expectations for his influence. Chelsea spent about £30 million to sign Drapp from Ipswich City, with a contract duration of up to six years. Although there are No. 9 players like Nicholas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Mark Quio on the team, the 22-year-old immediately showed his potential in Monday's game, scoring the second goal for Enzo Fernandez.

"I look forward to seeing the competition between Nicholas (Jackson) and Liam (Drapp). "Maresca said, "He has been competing for the position this season with the young Quio. Both of them are excellent No. 9 players." The Brazilian team was on the team in the group standings with Chelsea and Flamengo after defeating Esperons de Toonis 2-0.