The World Cup opened with jubilation in Mexico City as a packed stadium roared the hosts to victory. But the second game of the tournament saw empty seats visible throughout the stands for South Korea’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.
The scenes in Guadalajara on Thursday night follow weeks of questions around demand for the largest-ever World Cup, fueled by concerns over ticket prices and the marketing strategy of organizer FIFA.
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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.
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 say are excessively high ticket prices for months ahead of the tournament, as well as the cost of accommodation and flights to travel between or inside the three host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Visa access to the U.S. has also drawn scrutiny.
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. But depending on what match fans would want to attend, it could cost roughly the same amount as a month of rent in Chicago.
Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket pricing, saying it was on a par with other major sporting events.
FIFA has sold more than 6 million tickets for the tournament, and demand had exceeded expectations by “a factor of 10 or more,” he said.
“Our entry price, which is $60, is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the playoff phases,” Infantino said.
But some supporter groups have challenged this position.
Football Supporters Europe filed a complaint with the European Commission in March, accusing FIFA of shutting ordinary fans out of the tournament by imposing “sky-high” prices that far exceed those at previous World Cup events. It has also said that the $60 tickets FIFA is advertising “barely existed” and were snatched up before general public sales opened.
Last month, the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey issued a subpoena to FIFA over its ticketing practices, citing media reports that fans may have been misled about the locations of the seats they were purchasing, and FIFA’s public statements and ticket releases may have contributed to soaring prices.
Even President Donald Trump weighed in, blasting high World Cup ticket prices in an interview with the New York Post last month.
Contacted for comment on whether they were down to high ticket prices and other issues such as travel costs and visa barriers, a FIFA spokesperson sent NBC News a photo of a different angle of the crowd.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “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 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 tournament takes place over the span of more than five weeks and concludes July 19 with the final in New Jersey. The U.S. opens its campaign Friday night against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
