Mexico celebrated an opening victory in the 2026 World Cup, defeating South Africa in their first match. However, the jubilant atmosphere outside Mexico City's iconic Azteca Stadium was marred by violent confrontations. Reports indicate that ticketless fans and protesters clashed with police near gate eight, with rocks and bottles reportedly thrown. Local media outlets have stated that dozens of arrests were made during these disturbances.
Adding to the mixed start for the tournament, concerns have been raised regarding attendance figures at other venues. Despite FIFA reporting a crowd of 44,985 for Thursday's match between South Korea and Czechia in Guadalajara, observers noted significant swathes of unoccupied seats throughout the 46,000-capacity stadium. This has reignited debate over the affordability of tickets and overall demand for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
The optics of empty rows in Guadalajara, a city renowned for its fervent football culture, have intensified criticism directed at FIFA's commercial approach. Many fans present at the stadium attributed the lack of spectators to the high cost of tickets, arguing that FIFA's pricing model is prohibitive for ordinary supporters. This comes despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino's recent defence of ticket prices, where he asserted they were comparable to other major sporting events.
FIFA has previously announced the sale of over six million tickets for the tournament, with President Infantino stating that demand from across the Americas had exceeded expectations by a factor of ten or more. However, organisations like Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have cautioned that 'extortionate' pricing could exclude a significant portion of the fanbase. FSE claims that ticket prices for this World Cup have escalated fivefold compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
As the tournament progresses, attention now turns to the other two co-host nations. Canada is scheduled to play Bosnia & Herzegovina in Group B, while the USA will host Paraguay in Group D. These matches will further test the tournament's appeal and the effectiveness of FIFA's strategy in engaging a broad audience across all host cities.