According to FIFA, the World Cup has been a resounding success in terms of attendance so far.

Based on the data it released, the attendance rate at the 16 stadiums used so far reached 99.54% after the first 36 matches.

With an average attendance of 64,110 spectators per match, this year’s World Cup has already drawn 2,307,947 people to the stands. Halfway through the group stage and with an expanded 48-team format for a total of 104 matches, the 2026 World Cup is on track to break the attendance records set in previous tournaments.

However, there have also been instances where there were far more empty seats at matches than the announced attendance figures suggested, the most notable example being the match between South Korea and the Czech Republic (2-1) on June 12.

*photo source: AP