Chelsea began their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding 2–0 win over Los Angeles FC on Monday, in a Group D encounter overshadowed by poor attendance at the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez sealed the win for the Blues in front of just over 22,000 spectators — a striking contrast to the near-capacity crowds witnessed during the tournament’s opening weekend. The top tier of the stadium remained closed, and lower levels were only partially filled, despite late ticket price reductions.
Enzo Fernandez capped off the performance with a late second goal, assisted by debutant Liam Delap, as Chelsea capitalized on their dominance against an LAFC side that failed to muster much threat despite second-half changes, including the introduction of ex-Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud.
Chelsea, who qualified for the tournament following their UEFA Conference League triumph and subsequent Champions League qualification, started strongly, dictating the tempo early on. Forward Nicolas Jackson created several early chances, including a setup for Noni Madueke and a narrowly missed effort by Cole Palmer.
Jackson played a key role in the first goal, delivering a well-timed through ball to Neto, who eluded LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead before driving a low strike past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Though LAFC’s Denis Bouanga nearly equalized after halftime, Chelsea’s keeper Robert Sanchez pulled off a fine save. Fernandez eventually doubled the lead, calmly finishing Delap’s driven cross into the six-yard box to secure the win.
Despite an enclosed roof shielding fans from the Georgia heat, the 3:00 p.m. weekday kick-off time appeared to deter local attendance, with Monday’s match clashing with regular work hours. While Atlanta regularly draws large crowds for MLS side Atlanta United, the scheduling—reportedly designed to suit UK television audiences—left stadium seats glaringly empty.
LAFC, a late addition to the tournament after replacing banned Mexican side Club León, face a tough road ahead, with none of their group matches taking place in California.
Elsewhere in Group D, Esperance of Tunisia were set to take on Brazil’s Flamengo later Monday.
Chelsea now look to build momentum from their opening victory as they continue their bid to reclaim top-tier global status in this expanded edition of the Club World Cup.