It took just two games for FIFA’s World Cup ticketing controversy to be highlighted with huge numbers of empty seats.
The second match of the tournament saw South Korea beat Czechia 2-1 at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara.
The stadium is the home of Atlas, a team who wear red, as noticed by anyone watching.
Swathes of empty red seats were quickly noticed and they didn’t fill out as the match drew on.
Despite the clearly low attendance, journalists at the game report stadium announcers claimed there were 44,985 spectators for a stadium with a World Cup capacity of 45,664.
Dutch outlet De Telegraaf add that there were also plenty of empty seats in the pricy VIP section.
Furthermore, it was also a match between two teams not involved in any border control issues, playing in Mexico rather than the US where that’s been a factor.
Seemingly in response, FIFA have re-timed a story to the top of their website highlighting a drop of last-minute ticket sales for the general public.
“Tickets across all 104 matches have been made available for public purchase on FIFA.com/tickets on a first-come, first-served basis,” the story reads.
“As part of the Last-Minute Sales Phase, tickets will continue to be released until the end of the tournament.
“Fans looking for an elevated experience can purchase hospitality packages via FIFA.com/hospitality.”
The news comes amid constant criticism over FIFA’s dynamic pricing model, with some tickets for the final inflating to six figures.
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