What happened this week
The 2026 World Cup on Thursday set a record for total attendance in the tournament’s history, FIFA announced during a Germany vs. Ecuador match-up in New Jersey, beating a record held since 1994.
Before the event kicked off two weeks ago, concerns had loomed that steep ticket prices, travel restrictions from the Trump administration and lukewarm soccer fandom among Americans would hurt spectator turnout.
What the numbers show
The World Cup has been expanded to 104 matches from 64, meaning that if fans keep showing up in the same numbers, it could come close to doubling the previous attendance record set in 1994.
As it stands, the 1994 tournament, played in 52 matches across the U.S., still claims a higher average attendance per match.
Though massive stadium capacity in the U.S. helps explain this year’s numbers, so does Americans’ love of spectacle, experts say. Stadiums have been more than 99% full on average, a Reuters analysis shows.
Still, some observers say it is fair to question whether fan engagement could have been even stronger if not for President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions and anti-American sentiment overseas.
What’s next
The World Cup is more than halfway through and the knockout stage of the tournament begins on June 28 with the round of 32. You can check out the latest standings here.
Read more World Cup tickets were too expensive. He’s traveling to seven countries instead
Read more At the most expensive World Cup, wealthier fans find ways to pay
