Large swaths of empty seats have marred the opening matches of the World Cup, with fans pointing to expensive ticket prices as the culprit. The problem has been noticeable from the very start of the tournament, despite high-profile fixtures drawing celebrity crowds.
At the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Brazil kicked off their campaign against Morocco in front of American superstars Tom Brady and Travis Scott, who were pictured with Neymar before the match. Yet even this star-studded affair could not mask the eerie gaps in the stands that have become a defining image of the early days.
“Empty stadiums blight World Cup due to expensive tickets as Scotland fans descend on Boston for first finals in 28 years.”
While the empty seats tell one story, another is unfolding in Massachusetts, where thousands of Scotland fans have taken over Boston, painting the town tartan ahead of their nation’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years. Steve Clarke’s side face Haiti at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough, with kick-off scheduled for 2am on Sunday morning. The Tartan Army’s long-awaited return to the global stage has injected a surge of colour and noise into the tournament.
The contrast between the subdued attendance at some matches and the exuberant Scottish invasion could not be starker. As fans descend on Foxborough, the question lingers: will the empty seats continue to spread, or will the passion of supporters like Scotland’s fill the void?