Fluminense's transformation to surprise at the Club World Cup

Renato Gaucho has transformed Fluminense into the surprise team of the Club World Cup , excelling in the semifinal tie between European rivals Chelsea (their next opponent), Real Madrid, and PSG. The Brazilian team was fighting to avoid relegation in their league three months ago, but now they're a world revelation.

The 62-year-old coach has helped them defy the odds to eliminate Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the last 16 and Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals.

Renato expressed his joy after his team's victory over Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in the quarterfinals.

"We knew this match would be difficult, hard-fought, and exciting. I prepared my team in much the same way we played against Inter Milan in the round of 16, and the plan worked again. We controlled the flow of the match for almost the entire match; we conceded the equalizer early in the second half, but the players' attitude, determination, and dedication were key at that moment and helped us secure the victory."

Thiago Silva, captain of Fluminense, commented:

“I'm very happy, very proud of my team. It's not easy to play in this competition and reach the semifinals. I couldn't have imagined this moment, but I'm very happy for the team and for myself and our performance. We've been united the whole time.”

Ticket prices drop

FIFA has lowered ticket prices from $474 to $13.40 for the Chelsea-Fluminense semifinal in New Jersey.

The other semi-final between PSG and Madrid continues to be priced at almost $200.

FIFA had lowered ticket prices to $11.15 for the quarterfinal matches in Orlando, Florida, between Fluminense and Al Hilal, and in Philadelphia, between Chelsea and Palmeiras.

Some tournament matches have had low attendance. Real Madrid has been the exception, attracting at least 60,000 spectators in all five matches, including 76,611 in its quarterfinal victory on Saturday against Borussia Dortmund in New Jersey.

FIFA has implemented a dynamic ticket pricing system in partnership with Ticketmaster for the 2025 Club World Cup , meaning prices change based on demand. This can lead to drastic cost fluctuations for fans and an unpredictable pricing structure.

The average attendance for Club World Cup group stage matches was just over 35,000, and while this has meant some venues have reached near capacity, others have been alarmingly empty.

FIFA has attempted to remedy this by reducing ticket prices as the tournament progresses, especially for the less attractive matches.

Chelsea's victory over Palmeiras and Fluminense's clash with Al Hilal in last Friday's quarterfinals were both available to watch live for just $11, a move that has helped boost attendance at a significant financial cost.

Schedule

Semifinal

• Tuesday, July 8 at MetLife Stadium

• 1:00 p.m. (Central Time)

Statistics

Chelsea have taken 23 of their 36 penalty corners in the tournament, by far their most in the World Cup. Fluminense are second with eight.

This will be the third Brazilian team the Blues will face in the United States. They lost 3-1 in the group stage against Flamengo but won 2-1 against Palmeira in their last match.