Lee Han-beom wins an aerial duel during South Korea's 2026 World Cup group-stage match against Czechia on June 12. [AP]
Lee Han-beom wins an aerial duel during South Korea's 2026 World Cup group-stage match against Czechia on June 12. [AP]

FIFA has confirmed that its official attendance figure for South Korea's Group A match against Czechia at the 2026 North America World Cup was not inflated, pushing back against criticism that the number did not reflect what was visible in the stands.

According to the AP on Saturday, FIFA said some ticketholders had been standing in the corridors rather than sitting in their seats. South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, defeated Czechia 2-1 in a comeback victory June 12 at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico. The 45,664-capacity venue had a noticeable number of empty seats throughout the match, including in the central zone of the stands — yet FIFA's official attendance figure stood at 44,985.

FIFA said the figure "reflects the number of spectators who had their tickets scanned and entered the stadium zones, not the visual seat occupancy at any given moment during the match." The governing body added that "during the match in Guadalajara on Saturday, many ticketed fans were observed standing in the corridors and concourses throughout the game rather than remaining in their designated seats."

The AP noted that a considerable number of fans were in fact standing in the corridors and around concession stands throughout the match.


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