WORLD CUP | 2026 tournament sets attendance record at 3,605,357 after Ecuador-Germany

The 2026 FIFA World Cup set a new all-time attendance record of 3,605,357 after Thursday’s Group E match between Ecuador and Germany at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., drew 80,663 spectators, according to Yahoo Sports. FIFA said the previous record was 3,587,538 from the 1994 World Cup in the United States, and the tournament’s stadium occupancy rate to this point is 99.7%. Thursday’s matches also set a single-day attendance record of 384,206 across venues in Philadelphia; Kansas City, Mo.; Arlington, Texas; Santa Clara, Calif.; and Inglewood, Calif.