GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) β FIFA on Friday blamed the empty seats during the World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on fans who watched from the concourses.
There were many visible empty spots at the 45,664-capacity Estadio Akron, which hosted the Group F match. FIFA said in a statement that the empty seats were due to fans gathering in the concourses, rather than in their assigned seats, to watch the match.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with South Korea's Son Heung-min scoring in the 32nd minute and the Czech Republic's Patrik Schick equalizing in the 78th minute. Attendance figures were not immediately released by FIFA.
FIFA added that it is working with local organizers to ensure that all ticketed fans are encouraged to take their seats for future matches. The World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada runs through July 19.
