FIFA came up with an unusual solution after struggling to sell some of the luxury seats behind the goals at Dallas Stadium during the opening week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Patrick Iversen of The Athletic, sources said only three of the 14 available suites were sold. Rather than leaving the remaining sections empty, FIFA relocated volunteers to occupy those seats during the tournament.

"As with previous major sporting events, organisers run thank-you initiatives to show their appreciation for volunteers and staff," FIFA captioned a video post on social media. "We are delighted and proud to be able to do the same, by offering our wonderful volunteers the opportunity to watch a FIFA World Cup match today…"

The move turned what could have been an awkward visual into a reward for the volunteers who have helped keep the World Cup running behind the scenes.

To fit a regulation soccer pitch, the playing surface was raised by about four feet, bringing netting, photographers, and television cameras closer to fans' sightlines than during a typical NFL game.

Dallas Stadium's World Cup capacity was 70,649, while the official attendance for the Netherlands vs. Japan match was 69,285, leaving 1,364 seats unoccupied.

The empty seats quickly became a talking point during the tournament's opening week, particularly as FIFA continued to promote record demand and millions of tickets sold across the competition. Critics have pointed to ticket prices as one possible reason for the unsold inventory.

Cowboys Stars Became Part of the World Cup Conversation at Dallas Stadium

Dallas Cowboys stars Dak Prescott(QB) and CeeDee Lamb(WR) found themselves as part of the FIFA World Cup conversation during the first-ever World Cup match held at AT&T Stadium, temporarily renamed as Dallas Stadium.

“That might be the best pass they’ve seen in this stadium since Dak Prescott threw a 74-yarder to CeeDee Lamb against the Washington Commanders in Week 7”, said Darren Fletcher and Owen Hargreaves of FOX.

During the thrilling 2-2 draw between Japan and the Netherlands, FOX commentators referred to one of the Cowboys' memorable offensive plays while appreciating the passing on the field.

The comparison is connected to Prescott's 74-yard touchdown pass to Lamb against Washington last season.

The moment highlighted the Cowboys' cultural influence in Texas, even as the spotlight shifted to football's biggest tournament.

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Rudra Dubey