Empty seats at stadiums due to exorbitant ticket prices will continue to be a main topic of discussion at the World Cup.
The exorbitant prices of tickets for the 2026 World Cup continue to have negative ramifications for FIFA, with over 1,000 of the 44,315 seats at BMO Field left unsold during Canada’s 2026 World Cup debut match against Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The match had a reported attendance of 43,002.match on Canadian soil. However, most of the Category 1 and Category 2 tier tickets left were offered at prices that ranged between $1,645 and $2,240, per, but patches of empty seats were visible from the TV broadcast—even if a sea of fans wearing red shirts easily could’ve deceived viewers. The World Cup ticket price controversy has been one of the biggest talking points in the build-up to the tournament.
It took only two matches for, with hundreds of empty seats spotted at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara during South Korea vs. Czechia match on Thursday night. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has vehemently defended the dynamic ticket prices for months now, yet having one of the three co-hosts play at less than completely sold-out capacity in its World Cup debut is a major red flag.
’s report, only 29 of the 104 2026 World Cup matches were sold-out before the start of the tournament. The Canadian support in Toronto was impressive. | Ezra Shaw/FIFA/Getty Images There might come a day when FIFA admits it made a mistake, but that day certainly hasn’t arrived yet. Soccer’s governing body recently released a statement that included an explanation as to why many empty seats were visible in the stands at Guadalajara for South Korea vs. Canada.
“Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA stated, via “FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure all published figures are based on verified operational data. Please note that, during last night's match in Guadalajara, several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than staying in their assigned seats throughout the match.
” The excuse of fans taking their time in the concourse might apply to what appeared during Canada’s match at BMO Field. Empty seats were mostly seen right after the start of the second half, when fans likely were still making their way to their seats. Other images of the match paint the picture of a packed stadium.
Nevertheless, empty seats and high-priced tickets continue to be a massive topic three games into the 2026 World Cup, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going away any time soon. Roberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan.
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