2026 FIFA World Cup breaks all-time attendance record, surpassing 1994 milestone

The 2026 FIFA World Cup became the most attended in the tournament’s history on Thursday, surpassing the 1994 record of nearly 3.6 million spectators, FIFA said.

The announcement came during the second half of Germany’s match against Ecuador in East Rutherford, N.J., when jumbotrons flashed the new all-time record – 3,605,357 – to loud applause.

With 48 matches remaining in the World Cup, the total attendance could be almost double the 1994 record, set in an era when the World Cup only had 52 matches.

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Stadiums were on average more than 99% full.

Well-documented high ticket prices, along with President Donald Trump’s administration’s travel restrictions on certain countries, mean there may be many people who wanted to attend the tournament but were unable to attend, said economist Victor Matheson, a sports business expert at the College of the Holy Cross.

But there were plenty of fans ready to take their place. “Americans … want to be there for the big moments,” said Dan Rascher, a sports economics expert at the University of San Francisco.

Published on June 26, 2026