FIFA Addresses Empty Seats at World Cup Matches in Guadalajara and Toronto

During the recent World Cup match held in Guadalajara, Mexico, FIFA addressed concerns about visible empty seats. The match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium, which has a capacity of 45,664, witnessed noticeable gaps in seating.

FIFA stated that these empty spots were due to fans watching from concourses instead of their assigned seats. The official attendance figure was reported as 44,985, which included FIFA President Gianni Infantino. They clarified that attendance figures are based on tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium area, rather than a direct visual assessment of the crowd.

The organization emphasized their collaboration with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure that all attendance numbers are verified operationally. It was noted that during the match, numerous ticketed fans chose to stand in concourses rather than sit in their designated areas.

Similar observations were made for a match in Toronto, which saw empty spots close to the field and in corner sections of temporary seating. The Toronto Stadium accommodates 43,036 people and extra seats were added to meet FIFA’s requirements. The reported attendance for Friday’s match was 43,002.

This comes amid a busy sports weekend in Toronto with the Blue Jays playing against the New York Yankees and the Canadian Open golf tournament nearby.

FIFA has introduced record-high ticket prices at the World Cup matches held across 11 stadiums in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The organization adopted dynamic pricing, which has led to price hikes since tickets were initially available last fall. Although some prices reached five figures, FIFA President Infantino defended them as suitable for the North American market. Despite the high costs, before the tournament began, 29 games were sold out with remaining wheelchair seats, while 75 games still had tickets available.