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FIFA said many empty seats were visible in the near-sold-out Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic due to the presence of assembled fans.
Soccer’s world governing body announced an attendance of 44,985 at Guadalajara’s 46,000-seat Estadio Akron, suggesting they exaggerated the number of people in the stadium.
The disparity comes amid pre-tournament criticism of ticket prices and questions about demand for several matches in an expanded 48-team World Cup.
“Official attendance statistics reflect the number of tickets scanned and the number of spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than a visual assessment of seating positions at any given moment during a match,” FIFA said.
“FIFA works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure that all published statistics are based on verified operational data.
“Please note, during last night’s match in Guadalajara, several ticketed supporters were seen standing in the concourse instead of remaining in their assigned seats throughout the match.”
The organizers also released a photo showing a mostly full stadium.
