Empty seats at South Korea v Czech Republic despite FIFA record sales claim | OneFootball

FIFA’s record ticket sales claim jarred with empty seats at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, where South Korea beat the Czech Republic 2-1 on Thursday, a trend that could recur. FIFA said demand had been unprecedented, at least 10 times higher, with more than six million tickets sold, and put sales for the game at 44,985 of 45,664. It later clarified that attendance reflects scanned tickets rather than a visual estimate, adding some ticket-holders remained in concourses.

Hours earlier, the tournament opened at a sold-out Estadio Azteca, where Mexico beat South Africa 2-0. Tens of thousands later filled Mexico City’s streets, prompting closures on major avenues.

In Guadalajara, large swathes of central and VIP seating stayed empty throughout the second match.

Many partner companies do not travel for lower-profile fixtures. The teams are ranked 25th and 37th, and Estadio Akron is the second smallest of the 16 venues, behind Toronto’s 43,036 stadium.

Ticket prices have multiplied by five since Qatar, from 60 to 5,000 dollars. On Thursday VIP seats were 5,000€, lower-tier 500€, and the lower part of the upper ring 400, against a local GDP per capita around 12,250 dollars a year.

FIFA’s resale site has been saturated, with 180,000 tickets stuck on official platforms. High travel costs and United States visa hurdles have deterred many overseas fans, so sparse crowds at upcoming second and third-tier matches remain a real risk.

Source: L'Équipe