The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America has hit a major milestone, surpassing 1 million spectators after just 16 matches.
FIFA announced on Wednesday that the cumulative attendance reached 1,028,429 following the 16th match between Iran and New Zealand, breaking the 1 million mark.
The tournament set a new single-day attendance record on Tuesday, with a staggering 281,223 fans filling stadiums across the host nations.
Even more impressive is the near-perfect seat occupancy rate of 99.34%, indicating virtually sold-out crowds for every match.
Despite pre-tournament concerns over high ticket prices and U.S. visa restrictions, early data suggests the event is on track to be a massive success.
The host nations – USA, Mexico, and Canada – have all performed admirably in their opening matches, while soccer superstars like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi have already found the back of the net, fueling fan excitement and engagement.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino took to social media on Thursday, sharing a photo with the millionth spectator holding a commemorative ticket. He expressed his gratitude, stating that the passion of the fans filling these stadiums is truly bringing this World Cup to life.
However, the tournament hasn’t been without controversy. Some matches have shown noticeable empty seats, contradicting the reported attendance figures.
A prime example was the match between South Korea and the Czech Republic. While official numbers claimed 44,985 attendees in a 46,000-capacity stadium, visual evidence suggested significantly more vacant seats, leading to accusations of FIFA inflating attendance numbers.
FIFA defended its figures, stating that it works closely with stadium management and ticketing teams to ensure all numbers are based on verified operational data. They also noted that during the Korea-Czech match, some spectators were observed standing in aisles rather than occupying assigned seats, which could account for the discrepancy.