FIFA faced significant embarrassment on Sunday as a technical glitch with its ticket-scanning system led to a sea of empty seats at the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, prompting an announcement from ITV.
Empty Seats and Long Queues
Viewers and spectators were shocked to see numerous empty seats ahead of kick-off at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 80,663-capacity venue saw long queues as supporters struggled to access the venue, with some fans reportedly misdirected.
Laura Woods, speaking on ITV's broadcast, said: "There are some empty seats, FIFA have unfortunately had a technical glitch with their ticketing system so there are big queues still outside and we're what, 20, 25 minutes away from kick-off so we are just waiting for it to fill up here."
Ticket Prices and Security Issues
FIFA's costliest tickets for the final set fans back around £8,333, making them the most expensive general admission tickets in history. With US President Donald Trump in attendance, the US security service took over the stadium's security operation, adding to delays.
Claims emerged that fans who did not arrive at least six hours before kick-off would struggle to enter the stadium in time. FIFA had advised supporters to get to their seats four hours before the match, with the closing ceremony featuring Robbie Williams starting 90 minutes before kick-off.
Match Context
Spain and Argentina contested the final, with Argentina hoping to defend their title inspired by Lionel Messi. The delayed start and empty seats marred the showpiece event, drawing criticism from fans and broadcasters alike.
