The optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara during South Korea vs Czechia intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup. | Photo Credit: AP

FIFA reported an attendance ‌of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech ​Republic (Czechia) in Guadalajara, but swathes of empty seats around the stadium renewed concerns ⁠over ticket pricing and demand for the expanded tournament.

While more than 80,000 squeezed into the Mexico City stadium to watch the opening game between co-host Mexico and South Africa, the optics of unoccupied rows at the 46,000-seat stadium in ‌Guadalajara, a city with a deep-rooted football culture, have intensified criticism of FIFA’s commercial strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.

Fans at the stadium blamed the high ticket ‌prices for the rows of empty seats and criticised FIFA for its pricing model.

“Official attendance ‌figures ⁠reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, ⁠rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.

FIFA’S PRICING STRATEGY

With Mexico’s game at the Azteca always expected ​to sell out, South Korea’s meeting with the Czech Republic — ranked 25th and 37th respectively — at the tournament’s second-smallest stadium provided the first genuine test of FIFA’s ⁠pricing strategy.

The crowd was dominated by Mexican fans in home colours, alongside a noticeable South Korean contingent, but only a limited Czech presence.

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The Czechs qualified late in March and faced demanding travel schedules in ‌the group stage.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday defended FIFA’s ticket pricing following criticism from supporters who argued the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive.

He said ticket prices were on par with other major sporting events.

FIFA has sold more than six million tickets for the tournament and previously highlighted strong interest from across the Americas, with Infantino saying demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.

However, groups such as Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had warned that “extortionate” pricing would exclude ordinary ‌fans. According to FSE, ticket prices for this tournament have jumped five-fold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Published on Jun 13, 2026