Attendance for this summer’s World Cup has already surpassed the record 3,587,538 set by the 1994 World Cup, which was hosted in the U.S., according to FIFA.

As of Thursday, 3.6 million people had gathered in the first two weeks since this year’s elongated tournament began across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, the organization said. After the two simultaneous matches of Germany vs. Ecuador and Ivory Coast vs. Curaçao, the new record was set at 3,605,357.

That number will only grow until the tournament concludes July 19 in New Jersey.

FIFA and 2014 World Cup champion Sami Khedira recognized the record-breaking fan on the pitch during the hydration break Thursday in the Germany vs. Ecuador match.

The tournament’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams, which added games in the group stage, is most likely one reason the record was surpassed so quickly. This year will also feature an extra knockout round.

U.S. stadiums also have larger capacities than most of the previous World Cup host venues. The majority of the stadiums in the most recent tournament, which was hosted by Qatar, had maximum capacities of around 45,000 people, according to FIFA.

The two largest venues were Al Bayt Stadium, at 68,895 people, and Lusail Stadium, with a capacity of 88,966.

But NFL venues in the U.S. have maximum capacities of 60,000 to 80,000 people. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where several group stage games have been played, is the largest, with a maximum capacity of 82,500 people for sporting events.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino boasted Tuesday about the full stadiums he has seen so far and described the tournament as the “most successful event in history.”

“Stadiums are full, cities are full, the ambience is great,” Infantino said. “We have many families, many children, many women in the stadium, and this is really beautiful.”

He also credited the expanded tournament with creating breakout stars such as the Cape Verde team. The small island nation made its World Cup debut this year with a sensational game against Spain, one of the countries considered a favorite to win the tournament.

Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, 40, became an instant fan favorite after he managed to fend off the Spanish attack in a historic draw in its first group stage match. He drew millions of new Instagram followers after the game and told NBC News that it was “insane” to see as he basked in the World Cup experience.

“It’s the best moment in my life, the best experience I’ve had in what I love,” he said. “And there are no words that I can describe this moment.”