Fans on concourses instead of in seats, claims Fifa

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.

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 well below face value – across Fifa’s own resale site and secondary marketplaces.

Travel and hotel prices have also escalated, leading to the suggestion fans are being priced out of the tournament.