Thousands of Empty Seats Mark World Cup 2026 Opening Matches

During the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup, numerous empty seats were visible to viewers worldwide, particularly during South Korea's comeback victory over the Czech Republic.

This situation emerged amid ongoing controversy over FIFA's ticketing approach for the tournament. The governing body's strategy became evident to a global television audience early on. Additionally, FOX breached a FIFA regulation during the first match by airing advertisements during a drinks break and interrupting the live broadcast.

Ticketing Challenges and Visible Empty Seats

The second game of the competition, between South Korea and Czechia at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, revealed the clearest indication of the ticketing problem. Empty sections were noticeable throughout the match, especially in VIP areas and seats positioned away from the main camera.

These developments followed the drama of the opening match, which FIFA had invested heavily to avoid. As recently as early June, FIFA reduced ticket prices across all 104 matches and released 70 percent of its bulk-reserved hotel rooms in an apparent last effort to fill seats.

Ticket Availability and Pricing Details

On the eve of the tournament, approximately 180,000 tickets remained available on FIFA's official resale platforms. About 15,000 group-stage tickets were still purchasable directly through FIFA's website. For the United States' opening match against Paraguay on June 12, over 4,400 seats remained unsold via official channels.

The lowest-priced tickets still cost $1,120 (£835) from FIFA, with average resale prices above $800 (£597) even after a 20 percent price reduction in the previous month.

Pricing Model and Market Response

The core of the issue traces back to FIFA's introduction of variable pricing for the first time at a World Cup, which it distinguishes from "dynamic pricing" mainly by terminology. Between October 2025 and April 2026, prices for 90 of the 104 matches increased by an average of 34 percent.

The cheapest standard ticket for the final reached $5,785 (£4,315), while the most expensive seats peaked at $10,990 before tripling later. At one point, resale tickets for the final were listed at nearly $33,000. When the United States, Canada, and Mexico initially bid to host, the maximum ticket price for the final was promised at $1,550.

FIFA's Defense and Legal Investigations

Gianni Infantino defended the pricing in his final press conference before the tournament, stating, “If you sell it at a lower price point in this particular market it would have gone—which is perfectly legal in this country—in secondary markets at much, much, much higher prices and where would the money go then? Well, to those who organise secondary markets or black market activities and not to football.”

He added that FIFA consulted top lawyers and experts before selling 6.5 to 7 million tickets, implying compliance with legal standards. “If we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong, as well.”

Despite this, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launched a formal investigation into FIFA's pricing practices, issuing subpoenas. Congressional representatives also called for Infantino to testify before Congress.

Demand and Attendance Figures

FIFA had claimed in January that its ticketing website received over 500 million booking requests. However, the visible empty seats during the opening day contradict this, indicating significantly lower demand at the prices FIFA set.