Empty seats on World Cup’s opening day renew ticket price concerns

World CupEmpty seats on World Cup’s opening day renew ticket price concernsThe stands were not packed in Guadalajara for Thursday night’s game that saw South Korea win 2-1 over the Czech Republic.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleMexico opens historic World Cup with a win01:44Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 12, 2026, 6:31 AM EDT / Updated June 12, 2026, 6:34 AM EDTBy Yuliya TalmazanThe World Cup opened with jubilation in Mexico City as a packed stadium roared the hosts to victory. But the second game of the tournament saw empty seats visible throughout the stands for South Korea’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The scenes in Guadalajara Thursday night follow weeks of questions around demand for the largest-ever World Cup, fueled by concerns over ticket prices and the marketing strategy of organizers FIFA.While there was little surprise that more than 80,000 boisterous fans saw Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the Azteca Stadium, the game in Guadalajara hours later involved two teams ranked below the top 25.Large numbers of empty seats could be seen at the almost 46,000-seater stadium, though the official attendance was put at 44,985. Sections in the middle of the stands had many unoccupied seats and there were other empty seats scattered across the stadium.Michael Regan / FIFA via Getty ImagesThe crowd that did show was primarily backing South Korea, and delighted in the comeback win.Julian Finney / FIFA via Getty ImagesFans have complained about what they say are excessively high ticket prices for months ahead of the tournament, as well as the cost of accommodation and flights to travel between or inside the three host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada. Visa access to the U.S. has also drawn scrutiny.An NBC News analysis of the World Cup affordability for an average fan in the U.S. found that hote...