International News: Empty seats at World Cup matches raise questions despite FIFA’s near-capacity claims
By Zoila Palma: FIFA is defending its attendance figures at the 2026 World Cup after empty sections in several stadiums during the tournament’s opening days sparked debate among fans and observers. While television broadcasts showed noticeable gaps in the stands at some matches, FIFA maintains that attendance levels have been close to full capacity and […] The post International News: Empty seats at World Cup matches raise questions despite FIFA’s near-capacity claims appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
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By Zoila Palma: FIFA is defending its attendance figures at the 2026 World Cup after empty sections in several stadiums during the tournament’s opening days sparked debate among fans and observers.
While television broadcasts showed noticeable gaps in the stands at some matches, FIFA maintains that attendance levels have been close to full capacity and that demand for tickets has been record-breaking, Yahoo reports.
The issue gained attention during several group-stage matches, including Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland, where empty seats were visible despite official attendance figures indicating nearly full venues.
Similar concerns were raised during South Korea’s 2-1 victory over Czechia in Zapopan, Mexico, where vacant sections could be seen even though attendance was reported at 44,985 in a stadium with a capacity of 45,664.
In response, FIFA said official attendance figures are based on the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than the number of fans sitting in their assigned seats at any given moment. The organization noted that many spectators often spend portions of matches in concourses and other areas of the stadium, which can create the appearance of empty sections during broadcasts.
Despite the controversy, FIFA continues to highlight strong ticket sales, with President Gianni Infantino reporting that more than six million tickets had been sold before the tournament began.
The post International News: Empty seats at World Cup matches raise questions despite FIFA’s near-capacity claims appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
