USA send warning with emphatic win as empty seats embarrass World Cup organisers

If there were any doubts that the USA were ready to live up to the pressure of being one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup, they were dispelled in 45 brilliant minutes against Paraguay on Saturday. Three goals in a whirlwind first half, capped by a sublime stoppage-time strike from Gio Reyna, secured a 4-1 win and a perfect start in Group D. The display, watched on by Hollywood A-listers including Tom Cruise and preceded by a Katy Perry performance, was the first time since 1930 that the USA has won a World Cup game by three goals. Former USA goalkeeper Tony Meola, part of the squad at three previous World Cups, said the nation had arrived: “Now we are so much more established. We have players playing all round the world, we have an incredible league and have facilities the world is using right now. Those were a pipe dream a few years ago, now we are a football nation.” England great Ellen White added: “USA were unbelievable. You talk about pressure but they grasped at it, they enjoyed it. They probably shocked the world with that performance.” Yet for all the on-field success, the tournament has been dogged by an off-field controversy. Fans watching on television pointed out large sections of stadiums were left empty during the opening matches amid expensive ticket prices. FIFA, the governing body, adopted variable pricing for the first time in World Cup history, driving up average prices by 34 per cent last October. The cheapest standard finals tickets cost $5,785 (£4,315), with some reselling for close to $33,000 (£24,621). In an embarrassing move, FIFA claimed that empty seats were due to fans choosing to watch from the concourses. “Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” FIFA said. “During the match in Guadalajara, several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than staying in their assigned seats throughout the match.” The attendance for South Korea’s 2-1 win over Czechia at Estadio Chivas was given as 44,985 – just 678 under capacity. Meanwhile, England’s stolen training kit has been recovered after it was taken in transit during the squad’s relocation from Miami to Kansas City. Kansas police confirmed two suspects are in custody. US president Donald Trump missed the USA’s emphatic victory, and Ghana’s government issued a statement regarding Thomas Partey after the midfielder was banned from entering Canada ahead of his side’s clash against Panama. As the USA bask in their statement win, the question remains whether the empty-seat embarrassment will overshadow the tournament’s footballing spectacle.