FIFA said that during the sold-out Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic, many empty seats were noticeable due to fans remaining in the hall.
Football’s world governing body announced an attendance of 44,985 at the 46,000-seat Estadio Acron in Guadalajara, leading to accusations that it had exaggerated the number of people in the stadium.
The discrepancy follows pre-tournament criticism over ticket prices and questions about demand for multiple matches in an expanded 48-nation World Cup.
“Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and the number of spectators present within the stadium, rather than a visual assessment of seat occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said.
“FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure that all published figures are based on verified operational data.
“Please note that some fans who purchased tickets for last night’s match in Guadalajara could be seen standing in the concourse instead of remaining in their assigned seats throughout the match.”
The organizers also released photos showing the stadium being full.
