FIFA has responded to criticism that the stands appeared to have many empty seats during the World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic, defending the official attendance figures.
The match held in Zapopan, Mexico, caused debate on social media and in the media, as empty seats were repeatedly seen in the stadium during the television broadcast.
However, FIFA insists the arena was almost full.
According to official figures published by the world football governing body, 44,985 fans were present in the stadium out of a total capacity of 45,664 seats, which translates to around 98.5 percent of capacity.
To clarify the discrepancy between television footage and official statistics, FIFA provided a detailed explanation.
“Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium perimeter, not visual estimates of the seats occupied at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said in a statement.
According to the organization, many fans had chosen to watch the match on foot from the corridors and interior areas of the stadium, instead of staying in their seats.
The explanation comes at a time when FIFA has faced widespread criticism over images of not-fully-filled stands in the first few matches of the 2026 World Cup.
