Empty red seats everywhere at Levi’s Stadium after Fifa defended World Cup attendance (opens original article in a new tab)

Empty seats were reported at multiple World Cup 2026 matches, with FIFA defending attendance figures by citing fans in concourses, while investigations into ticket pricing practices continue.

• FIFA blamed empty seats during World Cup matches on fans watching from concourses
• Several early tournament matches had empty seats, including Switzerland vs Qatar in San Francisco
• FIFA faces investigations over ticket pricing practices and allegations of artificially inflated prices
• 2026 World Cup tickets are estimated to be more expensive than previous tournaments