What Empty Seats At World Cup In Guadalajara Do And Don’t Tell Us

BusinessSportsMoneyWhat Empty Seats At World Cup In Guadalajara Do And Don’t Tell UsByIan Nicholas Quillen,Contributor.Follow AuthorJun 12, 2026, 11:41am EDTGUADALAJARA, MEXICO - JUNE 11: General view inside the stadium as players of Korea Republic acknowledge the fans after the team's victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Korea Republic and Czechia at Guadalajara Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)Getty ImagesFor those who wondered how long before the impact of FIFA’s unprecedentedly expensive World Cup ticket pricing might be visible, the answer was two matches.After Mexican fans packed the Estadio Azteca to the brim in Thursday afternoon’s tournament opener in Mexico City, Match 2 in the Guadalajara suburb Zapopan was considerably less in demand, based on the pictures that emerged from the venue in suburban Guadalajara.While South Korea and Czechia provided an entertaining spectacle, particularly after halftime, there were plenty of visible empty seats throughout the venue normally known as the Estadio Akron, particularly near midfield in what are presumably the most expensive tickets situated in hospitality areas.That’s not to say the atmosphere was poor. Korean fans in particular – as well as some befriended locals – provided plenty of vocal support for the eventual winners, who rallied to a 2-1 victory behind a 67th minute leveler from Hwang In-beom and 80th-minute winner by Oh Hyeon-gyu.But the sight on television immediately called into question FIFA’s decision to mark tickets up several fold from previous tournaments, and made the world wonder whether the 2026 World Cup will be remembered as the one where the fans stayed home.MORE FOR YOUToo Soon To TellHowever, the truth is that it is too soon to declare FIFA’s tactics a failure economically, even if you are ideologically opposed to their revenue-centric approach. Because there were several factors that could’ve made Thusday’s nightcap...