Washington: According to FIFA, the United States has recorded the highest combined attendance of any country to host the FIFA World Cup in the tournament’s history.
FIFA said fan attendance at World Cup matches held across the United States has surpassed eight million spectators, underlining the scale of support for the expanded 2026 edition.
The United States is hosting 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches, while Canada and Mexico are each hosting 13 games. The country has allocated 16 stadiums for the competition, which features 48 teams for the first time in World Cup history.
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The record comes more than three decades after the United States hosted the tournament on its own in 1994. That edition featured 24 teams, with 52 matches played across nine stadiums.
The 1994 World Cup attracted a total of around three million spectators, with an average attendance of 68,991 fans per match.
For the 2026 tournament, the United States will also host every match from the quarter-finals onwards, including the semi-finals and the final, further cementing its central role in the biggest World Cup ever staged.
