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Fans on concourses instead of in seats, claims Fifa
TL;DR
Fifa reported an attendance of 44,985 at the South Korea vs. Czech Republic match, despite visible empty seats, attributing this to fans being on concourses. The governing body faced accusations of inflating attendance figures amid concerns over ticket pricing and demand.
Key points
- Fifa reported 44,985 attendees at the match.
- Estadio Akron has a capacity of 46,000 seats.
- Accusations of inflated attendance figures were made.
- Fans were reportedly on concourses instead of in seats.
- Concerns about ticket pricing and match demand were raised.
Fifa says numerous empty seats were visible in the near-sell-out Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic because of fans remaining on concourses.
Football's world governing body announced an attendance of 44,985 at the 46,000-seat Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, leading to accusations they exaggerated the number of people in the stadium.
The discrepancy followed pre-tournament criticism of ticket pricing and questions over demand for a number of matches in the expanded 48-team World Cup.
"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 said.
"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 organisers also issued a picture showing a mostly full stadium.
Image caption,
Czech Republic are playing in their first World Cup for 20 years
Swathes of empty seats appeared after half-time in Friday's game between Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina, but steadily began to fill up.
More than 80,000 fans attended the Azteca stadium to watch the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, and it was mostly Mexican fans in attendance at Estadio Akron for Thursday's later fixture.
While there was a sizeable South Korean contingent, there appeared to be only a limited Czech presence for the 2-1 defeat.
The Czechs qualified late in March and face a demanding travel schedule that sees them visit Atlanta before returning to Mexico City for their final group game.
Tickets for the tournament, held in Mexico, Canada and the United States, have been the subject of fluctuating prices and availability, with thousands remaining available for sale across several platforms.
BBC Sport has found tickets for matches involving the smaller nations are now available - across Fifa's own resale site and secondary marketplaces.
Q&A
Why did Fifa report a higher attendance than the visible crowd?
Fifa stated that attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators within the stadium footprint, not just those seated at any moment.
What was the official attendance at the South Korea vs. Czech Republic match?
The official attendance reported by Fifa was 44,985 at the Estadio Akron, which has a capacity of 46,000.
What concerns were raised about ticket pricing for the World Cup?
There were pre-tournament criticisms regarding ticket pricing and questions about the demand for several matches in the expanded 48-team World Cup.
