FIFA has defended the official attendance figures for the World Cup Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic, insisting that thousands of ticketed fans were standing on concourses rather than sitting in their allocated seats.

The match, played at the 46,000-capacity Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, was recorded with an official attendance of 44,985 — a near-sellout figure that drew immediate scepticism after widespread empty seats were visible throughout the game.

FIFA's explanation

The governing body clarified its methodology in a statement, saying attendance figures count the number of tickets scanned and people present within the stadium footprint — not the number of occupied seats visible at any moment during the match.