The second game of the 2026 World Cup saw empty seats visible throughout the stands for South Korea’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico.
As reported by NBC News, the scene Thursday night followed weeks of questions around demand for the largest-ever World Cup, fueled by concerns over ticket prices and the marketing strategy of organizer FIFA.
The tournament takes place over the span of more than five weeks and concludes July 19 with the final in New Jersey.
"While there was little surprise that more than 80,000 boisterous fans saw Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the Azteca Stadium, the game in Guadalajara hours later involved two teams ranked below the top 25," NBC's Yuliya Talmazan reported. "Large numbers of empty seats could be seen at the almost 46,000-seater stadium, though the official attendance was put at 44,985."
Fans have complained about what they consider excessively high ticket prices for months ahead of the tournament, as well as the cost of accommodations and flights to travel between or inside the three host nations — the United States, Mexico and Canada, Talmazan added.
An NBC News analysis of the World Cup affordability for an average fan in the U.S. found that hotels and tickets were still widely available for games early in the tournament, according to Talmazan, who writes, "But depending on what match fans would want to attend, it could cost roughly the same amount as a month of rent in Chicago."
FIFA has sold more than 6 million tickets for the tournament, and demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said earlier this week, per NBC.
“Our entry price, which is $60, is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the playoff phases,” Infantino said.
