Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: Despite various criticisms regarding visas and tickets before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the picture on the field tells a different story. After the first 24 matches of the group stage, it was seen that an average of about 99.4 percent of the stadiums were filled with spectators. The total number of spectators present has already exceeded about 1.5 million. The highest attendance in this World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, was at the Estadio Azteca stadium in Mexico City. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa was attended by 80,824 spectators. The attendance of 80,663 spectators for the Brazil-Morocco match and 80,545 spectators for the France-Senegal match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was one of the largest gatherings of the tournament. Similarly, the United States-Paraguay, Haiti-Scotland, Australia-Turkey, Argentina-Algeria, Portugal-Congo DR and Uzbekistan-Colombia matches also saw almost 100 percent attendance. In addition, several venues, including SoFi Stadium, MetLife Stadium, Gillette Stadium and BMO Field, also saw attendances of 98 to 100 percent. According to FIFA, these 24 first-round matches were enjoyed not only on the field but also by about 54 million viewers worldwide on TV and digital platforms.
