The FIFA World Cup 2026 has become the best-attended tournament in history, with more than 6.6 million fans and record stadium occupancy, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
NEW YORK: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has hailed the FIFA World Cup 2026 as the greatest tournament in the competition’s history after it attracted record-breaking crowds and exceeded expectations in attendance, fan engagement and global reach.
Speaking at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Reception in New York, Infantino praised the United States, Canada and Mexico for successfully hosting the expanded tournament. Addressing FIFA Council members, representatives of FIFA Member Associations and former football stars, he described the competition as an unprecedented global event.
“By all means, this (FIFA) World Cup has exceeded all expectations,” Infantino said.
He added: “This has not just been – and is not just – the greatest (FIFA) World Cup of all time. It is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed and seen, and we are all part of it, and for this I thank you very much.”
The tournament has drawn a total attendance of 6,665,825 spectators, making it the highest-attended FIFA World Cup ever staged. The figure has already surpassed the combined attendance recorded during the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which totalled 6,436,020 spectators.
It has also comfortably broken the previous single-edition attendance record of 3,587,538, set during the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Average attendance throughout the tournament stands at 65,351 spectators per match, while stadium occupancy has reached an impressive 99.7 per cent, the highest ever recorded in FIFA World Cup history.
Infantino also highlighted the wider impact of the tournament beyond the stadiums, noting that millions of supporters gathered in host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, while billions followed the matches through television broadcasts and digital platforms around the world.
The tournament concludes with England taking on France in the third-place play-off in Miami before Argentina face Spain in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. The championship match is expected to cap one of the most successful editions of the competition both on and off the pitch.
The success of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is expected to strengthen football’s global appeal while setting new benchmarks for attendance, fan experience and international sporting events. With record crowds and near-capacity stadiums throughout the competition, FIFA believes the tournament has established a new standard for future World Cups.
FIFA World Cup 2026, Gianni Infantino, Argentina, Spain, England, France, football, New York, attendance record, FIFA
