FIFA Says World Cup Games Almost at Full Capacity, Empty Seats Cast Doubt
Summary
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has shown some empty seats during early matches, despite FIFA reporting nearly full attendance. FIFA explained that their numbers count all ticket scans and people inside the stadium area, while fans moving around can make seats look empty on TV.Key Facts
- Some early World Cup games had visible empty seats, even though official attendance numbers were close to full capacity.
- FIFA said attendance figures include all ticket scans and people inside the stadium, not just those sitting in seats at a moment.
- Matches with noticeable empty sections included Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar vs. Switzerland, and South Korea vs. Czechia.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino said over 6 million tickets were sold, with demand called "unprecedented."
- Critics pointed out ticket prices and resale controls might have lowered actual fan attendance.
- Some fans stand or move around, making visual estimates of crowd size misleading.
- Thousands of tickets remained available for sale and resale just before and during the tournament.
- Similar attendance questions have happened in past World Cups, like in 2014 and 2022.
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