Football fans have expressed outrage as large numbers of empty seats were visible during one of the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup. The game between South Korea and Czech Republic in Guadalajara on Friday morning saw vast sections of the stadium vacant, sparking criticism over FIFA's ticket pricing strategy.
FIFA Defends Dynamic Pricing
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the organisation's dynamic pricing policy during a press conference on the eve of the tournament. However, the governing body is facing legal action from New York, New Jersey, and California over allegations that fans were confused by inflated ticket prices.
The cheapest standard ticket for the final was priced at $5,785, with some tickets reaching five figures. Despite FIFA claiming to have received over 500 million booking requests, approximately 180,000 tickets remained listed on official resale portals ahead of the competition.
Price Cuts for Upcoming Matches
In a late attempt to attract buyers, FIFA has reduced prices for many upcoming matches. Tickets for England's games against Ghana and Panama have nearly halved in price. Reports indicate that some World Cup venues have sold less than half of their tickets.
During the match at Estadio Akron, fans took to social media to complain about the empty seats. One user wrote: "The amount of empty seats is simply insane. Very poor from FIFA." Another added: "First time in my life I'm seeing this many empty seats at a World Cup game. Is this gonna be the worst World Cup ever?"
A third comment read: "Literally on day one of the World Cup there are lots of empty seats. The resale shenanigans didn't turn out so good, eh? That's what happens when you drive prices up to the point of insanity."
Attendance Figures Disputed
FIFA claimed there were 44,985 fans in the stadium, just 679 short of capacity. Despite the empty seats, both sets of supporters created a lively atmosphere during South Korea's 2-1 comeback victory. Earlier in the day, hosts Mexico secured a comfortable 2-0 win over nine-man South Africa in Mexico City.
