Chelsea players help FIFA sell Club World Cup tickets using personal Instagram accounts

Chelsea players have been sharing links to FIFA Club World Cup ticket sales on their personal social media accounts to try to avoid Tuesday afternoon's semi-final against Fluminense from taking place in a majority empty stadium.

Enzo Maresca's side take on the remaining South American outfit at the MetLife Stadium near New York, which holds 82,500. But it kicks off at 3pm local time (8pm BST) and FIFA’s controversial dynamic pricing model has seen the cost of a seat plummet.

Tickets for the game went on sale for $473.90 (£348.60) but within 72 hours were available for $13.40 (£9.56) such was the lack of uptake.

And most games at the expanded competition, which has garnered little interest across Europe with TV audiences in the UK a fraction of an average FA Cup third-round tie, have taken place in front of blocks of empty seats.

But Chelsea stars including goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, striker Nicolas Jackson, captain Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have posted links to the ticket website via their personal Instagram pages in the past 24 hours.

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It is unclear whether they were asked to make the posts, and if so by whom, or whether the players had decided among themselves to attempt to drum up interest.

The Blues have already banked more than £61million for their work under the blazing US sun this mont h, effectively paying for the fee of new signing Joao Pedro. He made his debut in the quarter-final win over Palmeiras and should feature again on Tuesday night.

Chelsea will be without suspended pair Liam Delap and Levi Colwill, while midfield Romeo Lavia is injured.

The winners will face either Champions League winners Paris Saint Germain or Real Madrid, who collide in Wednesday’s second semi-final, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

And the side that comes out on top at the weekend will return home with almost £100m in prize money for a month’s work - though with concerns around their build-up to next season because of a shortage of rest.

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