WASHINGTON, June 29. /TASS/. The group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches across North America has set a new attendance record of over 4.6 million spectators in 72 matches played, the press office of the world’s governing body of football said in a statement on Monday.

Last week, TASS reported that after the third round matches of the group stage at the world championship exceeded 3.6 million, a new total attendance record had been set for the World Cup, passing the registered 3.3588 at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

"The group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has come to a spectacular close, with the biggest edition of football's greatest tournament already rewriting the record books and captivating fans across Canada, Mexico, the USA and all over the world," the statement reads. "In just 17 days, the first-ever 48-team tournament has united more nations, players and supporters than ever before, transforming 72 matches across 16 host cities into a celebration of global passion, drama and unforgettable football.

"The statistics of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage illustrate the scale of the tournament, which extends far beyond the pitch to encompass every facet of the fan experience, from the 4,644,549 people who attended the matches to the 300,000 hot dogs consumed," according to the FIFA.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States between June 11 and July 19. The matches are staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This is be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.