SEATTLE — We are less than a year-and-a-half away from the world’s most popular sporting event, the World Cup.
But, before footy fans flock to Seattle next summer, the Emerald City is hosting another prestigious soccer competition, the Club World Cup. Tickets are on sale to the general public for all 63 matches, including the Seattle Sounders hosting group stage action from Lumen Field.
Lumen is one of 11 stadiums across the country that will host the tourney, which runs from June 14 – July 13, 2025, marking the penultimate precursor tournament to the 2026 World Cup.
Even though it’s been around for a quarter-century, this summer marks the first time the Club World Cup has expanded to 32 clubs. A truly international tournament, involving 20 different countries.
It’s a field that includes heavy hitters like Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Paris St-Germain.
It also features our own Seattle Sounders. And, the local club is excited about the opportunity to share their passion for soccer with the city and the world, while making sure folks get the tickets they want.
“If you’re interested in sitting with Sounders’ fans specifically, there are subsets of tickets available for groups of fans to sit together, like you see in some of the biggest sporting events,” says Taylor Graham, “If you have questions about that, reach out to the Sounders directly and we’ll make sure you’re sitting where you want, when you want, with whom you want,” the team’s Chief Integration Officer continued.
Meanwhile, the buzz and buildup is palpable amongst local businesses.
“I think it’s great,” says Archer Brown, the manager of Tat’s Delicatessen in Pioneer Square, within walking distance of Lumen Field. “Kinda puts us on the map a little bit. It’s about time.”
FIFA representatives say the goal of this Club World Cup is to continue to grow the game, specifically in North America. It gives fans a chance to see some of the world’s best teams and brightest stars on a smaller scale.
Several factors are being assessed, including the Sounders’ involvement, ticket allotment, and accessibility, with World Cup ‘26 in the back of everyone’s mind. Not to mention the championing of Seattle as a host city.
“The process has been super fun, and I bet there’s going to be a lot of learnings to leverage for the FIFA World Cup in 2026,” notes Graham, “At the end of the day, it’s a 90-minute match with some of the best athletes in the world and the global game. What’s better than that?”
The CIO’s excitement is shared by local fans, who will have the opportunity to take in a pair of world-class competitions over the next couple of years. Soccer enthusiasts like Bhagat Suvedi relish this opportunity to see the beautiful game played in their own backyards.
So much so, that Suvedi confirms he’d be willing to shell out a few hundred bucks to see some of the sport’s best in Seattle.
“If I really wanted to see it, I think I’d be willing to go up to $350-$400. Somewhere along those lines,” says Suvedi.
When asked if his friends would be as eager to drop as much dough on one match, he continued, “I’m not going alone. I’m going to drag them along, too.”
All three of the Sounders’ group-stage matches will take place at Lumen Field. Tickets on the secondary market ranged anywhere from about $80-$150, depending on their opponent.
However, the day they went on sale, some secondhand sites were already charging well over $100 per ticket for certain matches. That’s more than double the face value.
If the Sounders were to advance to the Round of 16, those tickets were selling at around $125-$150 the day they went on sale as well. The caveat? That match would either be played in Atlanta or Philadelphia.
Two cities that, like Seattle, are also hosting World Cup matches next summer ― ultimately using the warmup competition as a dress rehearsal before next summer’s blockbuster tournament.
For more information and tickets, visit: fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025.
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