England-Croatia World Cup clash faces empty seat concerns

A&T Stadium in Dallas

Croatia’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup against England next week could be played in front of noticeable numbers of empty seats, despite FIFA’s repeated claims of unprecedented demand for the tournament.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, hundreds of tickets remain available for the Group Stage fixture at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, scheduled for next Wednesday.

The situation has renewed scrutiny of FIFA’s ticketing strategy and pricing structure ahead of one of the tournament’s most anticipated opening matches.

The governing body has faced criticism from supporter groups over ticket costs, with many arguing that prices have placed matches beyond the reach of ordinary fans.

Tickets for the England-Croatia encounter remain available through both official and unofficial resale channels.

The cheapest seats are currently listed at $867 (£648), while premium hospitality and VIP packages reach as much as $9,225 (£6,900).

On FIFA’s official hospitality platform, packages for the match range from $2,430 (£1,811) to $3,150 (£2,347). These include premium seating, hospitality access, food and beverage services, and exclusive lounge facilities.

The issue comes after large sections of empty seats were visible during South Korea’s opening match against Czechia in Guadalajara, raising concerns that attendance figures may fall short of expectations at several fixtures across the tournament.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the organisation’s pricing policy, stating before the tournament that the average ticket price was below $500 and comparable to those charged at major sporting events in the United States.

He also addressed concerns surrounding ticket resale and availability.

A&T Stadium

Earlier this week, the Financial Times reported that nearly 180,000 tickets for Group Stage matches remained available on official resale platforms.

The report also noted that around 4,400 tickets were still available for the United States’ opening match against Paraguay, with the cheapest ticket sold directly by FIFA priced at $1,120.

FIFA has previously highlighted what it described as more than 500 million ticket requests for the tournament. However, the continued availability of tickets for several high-profile matches has prompted further debate over whether pricing, rather than demand, is affecting attendance.

With England and Croatia set to meet in one of the standout fixtures of the opening round, attention will now focus on whether sales increase in the final days before kick-off.