During the World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic held in Guadalajara, Mexico, empty seats were noticeable despite the announced attendance being close to capacity. The official attendance figure was given as 44,985 at the Guadalajara Stadium, which has a total capacity of 45,664. Many fans were observed standing in the concourses rather than sitting in their assigned seats, contributing to the appearance of empty spots.
FIFA’s Response
FIFA, the global governing body for soccer, stated that attendance figures are based on scanned tickets and spectators present within the stadium area, not simply a visual count of occupied seats. The organization emphasizes collaboration with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure accuracy in published attendance numbers. This clarification was provided in response to concerns over the empty seats during the match.
Toronto’s Stadium Capacity
Similar observations of empty seats were reported in Toronto during Canada’s first World Cup match on home ground. The Toronto Stadium has a capacity of 43,036, and extra seating was installed to meet FIFA’s requirements. The attendance recorded for this event was 43,002, despite some visible empty spots near the field in the lower seating areas and a corner of temporary seating. Toronto was experiencing a busy sports weekend, with events such as a baseball game and a golf tournament nearby.
Record High Ticket Prices
This year’s World Cup saw record high ticket prices across venues in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. FIFA employed dynamic pricing, which led to several price increases since tickets first became available. FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the pricing strategy as appropriate for the North American market, though prices—sometimes reaching five figures—have faced criticism. Despite the high costs, many matches sold out according to FIFA data.
Associated press writer Lexie Linderman provided additional reporting from Toronto.
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