The 2026 World Cup concluded with Spain at the top of the world and impressive attendance figures. The tournament, hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, drew a total of 6,810,966 spectators across 104 matches, setting the record for the highest total attendance in the tournament’s history.

In terms of average attendance per match, the 2026 World Cup ranked second all-time, with 65,490 spectators. The only tournament that ranks higher is the 1994 World Cup in the United States, when the average attendance reached 68,991 fans across 52 matches.

In third place on the list is the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with 53,592 spectators per match, followed by Qatar in 2022 with 53,191 and Germany in 2006 with 52,491. The figures highlight the significant difference between this year’s tournament and the immediately preceding ones.

The highest attendance at the 2026 World Cup was recorded at the historic “Azteca” Stadium in Mexico City, with 80,824 spectators. Despite this impressive number, the all-time single-match record remains that of the 1950 match at the “Maracanã,” when 173,850 spectators were recorded for the Brazil vs. Uruguay game.

The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams and 104 matches led to an unprecedented total attendance, without significantly reducing the average. The 2026 World Cup failed to surpass the 1994 record, but it confirmed that North America remains one of the strongest markets for global soccer.

*photo source: AP