World Cup 2026: FIFA blames spectators for sparse stands after South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic

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·14 June 2026

World Cup 2026: FIFA blames spectators for sparse stands after South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic

In a Friday statement, FIFA said images of half-empty stands were a poorly timed snapshot, denied any inflation of attendance figures, and stressed that official numbers reflect scanned tickets and people inside the venue. It added that it works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to publish verified operational data.

The South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic match on Thursday in Guadalajara was the second fixture in Group A.

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The Guadalajara stadium was announced as near full, with 44,985 present from a 45,664 capacity.

Empty seats became a talking point online, while ticket prices drew particular criticism.

Several ticket-holders were in the concourses, buying food or drink, using toilets or chatting away from their seats rather than sitting through the match.

Source: Le Progres