Key facts
- FIFA attributed empty seats at the South Korea vs. Czech Republic World Cup match in Guadalajara to fans standing in concourses.
- The governing body stated that official attendance figures are based on scanned tickets and verified operational data.
- Visible empty seats were also present at a match in Toronto, though the stadium was close to full.
- FIFA has been criticized for record-high ticket prices for the World Cup matches.
FIFA has attributed the visible empty seats at a World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara to fans who chose to stand in concourses rather than occupy their assigned seats. The governing body of world soccer stated that official attendance figures are based on scanned tickets and verified operational data, not visual assessments of occupancy during the match.
Despite the official attendance of 44,985, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, many unoccupied spaces were evident in the Guadalajara Stadium, which has a capacity of 45,664. Similar, though less pronounced, empty seats were also noted at a match in Toronto, which had an announced attendance of 43,002 against its capacity of 43,036.
FIFA has faced criticism for record-high ticket prices for this year's World Cup, with prices reportedly reaching five figures. Infantino defended these prices as appropriate for the North American market.