Stadium Buzz Fizzles: Empty Seats a Notable Sight at Qatar-Switzerland Copa America Match
Thousands of seats were observed to be empty during the match, with many vacant spots concentrated on the sun-exposed east side of Levi's Stadium.
Santa Clara, CA — A Copa America match between Qatar and Switzerland at Levi's Stadium on Saturday drew attention not just for the play on the field, but for the notable number of empty seats in the venue.
Venue Details
Levi's Stadium, which hosted the Super Bowl just four months ago, has a seating capacity of 68,500 for NFL games. For soccer matches, that number can be expanded to over 70,000. The contrast was stark compared to a prior Copa America match at the same venue between Brazil and Colombia, which drew 70,971 attendees.
Atmosphere and Observations
Thousands of seats remained vacant throughout the match. A significant portion of the empty seats were located on the east side of the stadium, an area typically exposed to the sun for much of the year. The temperature at kickoff was approximately 28 degrees Celsius (82°F). In a curious visual detail, Swiss fans dressed in red clothing were noted to blend in with the stadium's empty red seats.
Context from Previous Incidents
This is not the first time empty seats have been a talking point at a major tournament. FIFA has previously attributed empty seats during a World Cup match in Guadalajara to fans watching the game from the concourses, suggesting that actual attendance figures may differ from the view of the stands.