Is FIFA Cheating on Qatar Numbers?

Strange approach to stadium capacities

Created: 11/22/2022, 3:24 p.m

The number of spectators at the first World Cup games caused confusion.

Accordingly, there were always more fans in the stadium than the stadium capacity allowed.

FIFA is trying to clarify.

Munich - It was the excitement of the opening game of the World Cup in Qatar: Many spectators left the Al Bayt Stadium early in the clear opening defeat of the hosts against Ecuador.

In general, there was some confusion with the number of viewers of the previous games.

World Cup 2022: More spectators than places?

FIFA corrects the capacities - so many people fit in the stadiums

Because anyone who has dealt intensively with the World Cup stadiums in advance and followed the TV broadcasts closely will have noticed that the number of spectators announced during the first four games was greater than the capacity of the respective stadiums.

For example, the official number of spectators for the opening game was 67,372, but the Al Bayt Stadium actually only has 60,000 seats.

Some therefore already suspected that Qatar has manipulated the numbers for a better public image.

• Al Bayt Stadium: 68,895 instead of 60,000

• Al Janoub Stadium: 44,325 instead of 40,000

• Al Rayyan Stadium: 45,032 instead of 40,000

• Al Thumama Stadium: 44,400 instead of 40,000

• Khalifa International: 45,857 instead of 40,000

• Lusail Iconic Stadium: 88,966 instead of 80,000

• Education City Stadium: 44,667 instead of 40,000

• Ras Abu Aboud Stadium: 44,089 instead of 40,000

However, FIFA has now issued an explanation to counteract the allegations of a lack of interest in the World Cup in the disputed desert state.

The stadium capacities of the eight World Cup arenas that the world association had published in the run-up to the tournament were only rounded.

Now the official capacities of the stadiums specially built for the World Cup have been announced.

Empty stands, few spectators: This is what it looked like during the game between Senegal and the Netherlands in the Al Thumama Stadium.

© IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON

World Cup 2022: Games from the last tournaments were also not sold out – the mood in Qatar was bad

This made it clear that none of the World Cup games played so far were sold out.

Several thousand seats always remained empty.

As a result, there should still be tickets available for the upcoming games.

However, a look at the odds of past World Cups puts the not sold-out World Cup games into perspective a little.

Fan flight at the World Cup opening game: the best pictures of the half-empty Qatar stadium

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At the last three tournaments in South Africa, Brazil and Russia, an average of a few thousand places remained empty.

Nevertheless, the mood in Qatar seems to be worse compared to the last World Cups.

It is obvious that this is due to the political situation in the desert state.

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