How crowds compare to 1994

The 2026 World Cup has already become the most-attended tournament in history — but it still has not matched the packed-stadium pace of the last World Cup played in the United States.

Through 60 matches, the 2026 tournament has drawn more than 3.8 million fans, surpassing the 1994 World Cup’s full-tournament total of 3.6 million on June 25.

The 2026 tournament expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches but notably set the record in fewer games than the smaller 32-team tournaments. The 32-team World Cups played 64 matches total, while 2026 has played 60 through June 25.

However, the 1994 tournament in the United States set the previous record in even fewer matches: With just 24 teams, that World Cup had 52 matches total and still eclipses 2026 on average attendance per match. In 1994, the average match had 68,991 in attendance while 2026 is averaging 64,720 per match.

The most-attended 32-team tournament was 2014 in Brazil. That tournament had an attendance total of 3.4 million.

The biggest difference between 1994, 2026 and every World Cup in between is simple: stadium size.

According to the Stadium Guide, the 1994 tournament averaged a capacity of 74,166 across its nine venues. Tournaments between 1998 and 2022 averaged a capacity of 48,544, so 1994’s average represents a 53% jump in stadium size.

This year is in a similar ballpark to 1994 — per US Soccer, the average capacity for 2026 stadiums is 69,134, or 42% higher than the 1998 to 2022 average.

1994 also played in several college football stadiums including Stanford Stadium and the Rose Bowl. Both venues exceeded 80,000 in capacity, with the Rose Bowl hitting 102,083.

2026 has three stadiums above 80,000 in capacity — Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Nicknamed “Jerry World” after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, AT&T Stadium is the largest in the tournament with a stated capacity of 92,967.

No stadium in 1994 dropped below 50,000, either, with RFK Stadium’s 56,500 capacity the smallest in the tournament.

2026, on the other hand, has several smaller stadiums including Estadio Akron in Guadalajara and BMO Field in Toronto. Those venues can fit around 45,000 fans.

By comparison, the other World Cups between 1994 and 2026 have had more smaller stadiums. In France in 1998, for instance, eight of the tournament’s 10 venues had capacities below 50,000.

The 2026 tournament is on pace to reach 6.7 million in total attendance based on its current average. Whether it gets there remains to be seen, but the record is already gone — and the biggest crowds may still be ahead.

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