SOCCER: Empty seats at World Cup match renews concerns over ticket prices

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — FIFA reported an attendance of 44,985 for Thursday’s World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, but large sections of empty seats raised fresh concerns over ticket pricing and overall demand for the expanded tournament.

While more than 80,000 fans filled the Azteca Stadium for the opening match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, the visible gaps in the stands at Guadalajara’s 46,000-seat venue—located in a city with a strong football tradition—have intensified scrutiny of FIFA’s commercial approach to the first 48-team World Cup.

Some spectators inside the stadium attributed the empty rows to high ticket prices, criticizing FIFA’s pricing strategy as increasingly inaccessible for ordinary supporters.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the organization’s ticketing policy on Wednesday, saying prices were comparable to those of other major global sporting events despite mounting criticism from fans who argue costs have become prohibitive.

According to FIFA, more than 6 million tickets have already been sold for the tournament, with the organization previously highlighting strong demand across the Americas. Infantino has also said demand has exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more.”

However, fan advocacy groups, including Football Supporters Europe, have warned that what they describe as “extortionate” pricing risks excluding regular supporters. The group said ticket prices for this tournament have increased fivefold compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

South Korea went on to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the Group A encounter. -Reporting by Natalia Siniawski and Miguel lo Bianco; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters