Real Madrid will travel to the United States tomorrow to compete in the Club World Cup. The team is traveling with high hopes, but also with high expectations. In a season without any major titles, the FIFA tournament is seen as a way to turn things around, get Xabi Alonso’s era off to a good start, and make history as the winner of the first edition of the tournament. It will be a great challenge, but they will not be alone.
Real Madrid, the only team to sell out
The Club World Cup has not even started yet and Real Madrid is already taking it by storm. The Whites have managed to sell out two of their three group stage matches. They are the only club to have sold out their first matches in the United States.
Only by going to the official FIFA resale site and paying more than $232, or by purchasing VIP experiences for more than $1,000, will it be possible to see Real Madrid’s debut in the World Cup and Xabi Alonso’s debut on the bench in person. There are still some tickets available for the second match against Pachuca. However, there are not many left and prices start at $132.
The stadiums where Real Madrid will play
Real Madrid will play its first three matches, corresponding to the group stage, in three spectacular stadiums. These are true cathedrals of American sports. The first match, on Wednesday 18 at 9pm against Al-Hilal, will be played at Hard Rock Stadium. The stadium has a capacity of 65,000 and is home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. It was opened in 1987 but was completely renovated in 2016.
From Miami, Real Madrid will travel to Charlotte for the second match of the group stage, which will see them face Pachuca on the 22nd at 9 p.m. The match will be played at Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC of the MLS. In this case, the stadium has a capacity of 74,000 spectators and is one of the most modern in the country.
Finally, the group stage will end for the Whites with their match against Salzburg, which will be played on June 27 at 3 a.m. Spanish time. This match will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. This is a much newer stadium, opened in 2003 and with a capacity of 69,000. It is the home stadium of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team.