2026 World Cup breaks attendance record, surpassing 5 million spectators

The 2026 World Cup has shattered previous attendance records, with over 5 million spectators flocking to stadiums. The latest milestone was achieved during the France-Sweden Round of 16 match held in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA confirmed the achievement, noting that the tournament has now welcomed 5,048,079 fans.

This new record surpasses the previous best set in 1994, also hosted in the United States, which saw 3,587,538 attendees. The current tournament, co-organized by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is averaging 64,511 spectators per match, excluding the latest fixture. Stadiums are experiencing a remarkable 99.7% occupancy rate.

Despite earlier concerns about exorbitant ticket prices, the tournament has drawn massive crowds. The highest attendances have been recorded for matches including Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, Mexico vs. South Africa, and Czech Republic vs. Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, each drawing 80,824 fans. FIFA President Gianni Infantino had initially projected around seven million spectators for the entire event.

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The 2026 World Cup will go down in history during the Round of 16 match between France and Sweden, when the total attendance of the tournament will exceed 5,000,000 supporters, thus setting a new absolute attendance record.