World Cup match opens with many empty seats in Guadalajara

The World Cup officially began in Guadalajara on June 12, featuring a match between South Korea and the Czech Republic at Akron Stadium. Despite an official attendance figure of 44,985, large sections of empty seats were visible throughout the game. FIFA stated that official attendance counts only reflect ticket scans and attendance within the stadium, noting that some ticketed fans opted to stand in concourses. The stadium has a capacity of 45,644, raising questions about attendance perceptions at the event.

• 8:14 PMYahoo Sports — World Cup opens with "thousands" of empty seats in Guadalajara