2.45 million fans attended the group stage matches

Fans filled the stadiums at the Qatar World Cup.

Reuters

The number of attendees in the 48 matches of the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar reached 2.45 million fans, an average of 96% of the capacity of the stadiums, according to figures published by the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA).

Despite calls for a boycott of the first finals in the Middle East and the Arab region against the backdrop of the gas-rich Gulf emirate's human rights record, FIFA reported that the group stage in the 22nd edition exceeded the 2.17 million figure in the World Cup in Russia four years ago.

According to the International Federation, the match between Argentina and Mexico was in the second round of Group C competitions, in which Lionel Messi and his companions achieved a fateful 2-0 victory after a shocking opening defeat against Saudi Arabia 1-2, the highest attendance in the stands since the 1994 World Cup in the United States, as the number of The crowd at Lusail Stadium is 88,966 spectators.

Despite these numbers, which are accompanied by a strong television following around the world as well, criticism continues to rain down on the host country, as has been the case since granting it the right to organize in 2010, whether on the issue of respecting human rights or even protecting the environment.

And the International Federation highlighted yesterday that the group stage resulted in the qualification of teams from all continents to the final price for the first time in the history of the World Cup, three of which are under the banner of the AFC (Australia, Japan and South Korea) for the first time as well.

Only two African teams qualified for the second time (Senegal and Morocco), after the first in 2014.

To view an electronic supplement .. the World Cup teams, 

please click on this link.

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