World Cup 2026 breaks all-time attendance record as Ecuador stun Germany
The World Cup 2026 attendance record fell during Ecuador's 2-1 win over Germany in New Jersey. The upset sent Ecuador into the Round of 32 and added a dramatic edge to the milestone.
- Jun 26, 2026,
- Updated Jun 26, 2026, 9:28 AM IST
The FIFA World Cup 2026 has become the highest-attended edition in the tournament's history, surpassing the previous record set during the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
The milestone was reached during the Group E fixture between Germany and Ecuador at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Thursday (June 25, local time), when stadium screens confirmed a cumulative attendance of 3,605,357 spectators. The previous record stood at 3,587,538, set across the 1994 tournament.
According to FIFA, the new benchmark was achieved after just 56 matches. "Fifty-six matches in, FIFA World Cup 2026 has already broken the aggregate attendance record for a FIFA World Cup at any stage - the previous record was 3,587,538 at USA 1994," the governing body said on its official website.
The record-breaking occasion was accompanied by one of the tournament's biggest surprises as Ecuador defeated four-time champions Germany 2-1 to qualify for the Round of 32.
Germany took the lead less than two minutes into the match when Leroy Sane finished from Florian Wirtz's pass. The goal was upheld after a VAR review despite Ecuador's appeals over a possible foul in the build-up. Scored in the 1.49th minute, it became Germany's second-fastest goal in FIFA World Cup history.
Ecuador responded quickly, with Nilson Angulo levelling the score in the ninth minute through a powerful long-range strike that beat Manuel Neuer. The South Americans grew into the contest and matched Germany's intensity with disciplined pressing and swift counter-attacks.
The decisive goal arrived in the 77th minute when Kevin Rodriguez won a header from a corner and Gonzalo Plata reacted first to score from close range.
Germany pushed for an equaliser during the closing stages and seven minutes of added time, but Ecuador held firm to seal a famous victory.
The result secured Ecuador's place in the knockout stage for only the second time in the nation's World Cup history, matching its achievement at the 2006 tournament.