GUADALAJARA, Mexico - FIFA is facing intensified scrutiny over its commercial strategy for the expanded 48-team World Cup following images of empty seats at Thursday’s match between South Korea and the Czech Republic.
While more than 80,000 fans packed into the Azteca stadium for the co-hosts' opener, the 46,000-seat Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara showed significant gaps. The optics have fueled accusations that FIFA’s pricing model is excluding ordinary supporters.
Fans at the venue pointed to steep costs as the primary driver for the low attendance. This criticism has prompted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to defend the pricing structure, asserting that costs are comparable to other major global sporting events.
Despite reporting sales of over 6 million tickets and claiming demand exceeded expectations by a factor of ten, groups like Football Supporters Europe warn that prices have jumped fivefold compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
South Korea secured a 2-1 victory in Group A, but the narrative remains focused on accessibility and affordability for the upcoming matches.