GUADALAJARA, Mexico : Large sections of empty seats at Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic have reignited concerns about ticket pricing and fan accessibility at the 2026 tournament.
FIFA announced an attendance of 44,985 for the Group A fixture in Guadalajara, but visible pockets of unoccupied seats throughout the 46,000-capacity stadium prompted fresh criticism of the governing body’s ticketing strategy for the first 48-team World Cup.
The contrast with the tournament opener earlier in the day was striking, as more than 80,000 spectators packed Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium to watch co-hosts Mexico defeat South Africa 2-0.
Several supporters attending the South Korea-Czech Republic match blamed high ticket prices for the lower turnout and questioned FIFA’s pricing model.
Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.
The issue comes amid growing scrutiny of ticket costs across the tournament. On the eve of the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the governing body’s pricing policy, arguing that ticket costs were comparable to those of other major global sporting events.
FIFA has said it sold more than six million tickets ahead of the competition and reported stronger-than-expected demand from fans across the Americas. Infantino said interest in the tournament had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more.”
However, supporter groups have voiced concerns that rising prices could price ordinary fans out of attending matches. Football Supporters Europe has described the ticket costs as “extortionate” and said prices for the 2026 tournament are significantly higher than those for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On the field, South Korea recovered from a goal down to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1, with Hwang In-beom scoring once and setting up the winner for Oh Hyeon-gyu.
The attendance debate is likely to remain in focus as the tournament moves beyond its opening day and hosts matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
