Chelsea kicked off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC (LAFC), but the atmosphere at the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium was noticeably subdued, with just over 22,000 fans in attendance.
Liam Delap made his debut for the Blues in the match, entering in the 64th minute and delivering an eye-catching performance that culminated in an assist for Enzo Fernandez’s close-range goal. The opener came earlier in the match via a sharp near-post finish from Pedro Neto, who capitalized on a defensive lapse after being played through on goal.
Despite the victory, attention quickly turned to the visibly empty stands, a worrying sign just a year ahead of the United States co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Observers noted that the local crowd seemed unaware of the high-profile nature of the match, with competing events—including a Power Rangers convention and a UFC fight—diverting attention. Additional factors such as weekday scheduling at 3pm and high ticket prices were also blamed for the poor turnout.
Chelsea’s Dario Essugo also made his debut, contributing to a performance that lacked intensity but proved sufficient to secure all three points. LAFC, bolstered by French World Cup veterans Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris, created dangerous moments, with Denis Bouanga and substitute David Martinez narrowly missing key opportunities.
The Blues have now secured eight wins in their last nine outings, a streak that includes their UEFA Conference League title win. Chelsea’s next Group D fixture is against Flamengo in Philadelphia, while LAFC will face ES Tunis in Nashville. The group stage wraps up Tuesday with Chelsea clashing against Tunis and LAFC squaring off against Flamengo.
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