FIFA World Cup Draws Attendance of 6.8 Million Spectators

Spain’s 1–0 victory over Argentina brought the 2026 FIFA World Cup to a close. For FIFA, a glance at the attendance figures and stadium occupancy rates alone is enough to declare the event a success.

It was already clear before the tournament began that the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA would set a new attendance record. In the group stage alone, 72 matches were played – more than ever before in a World Cup (64 matches) – whilst the expansion to 48 participating nations meant a total of 104 matches were to be played. Following criticism of high ticket prices and the variable pricing model, FIFA also had to face critical questions at the start of the tournament regarding apparently empty seats, but insisted that the official attendance figures did indeed reflect the number of people actually present in the stadiums.