While total “tickets sold” numbers correlate tightly with stadium capacities and security allocations, official FIFA historical data records total attendance as the ultimate metric of physical seats filled.
| Tournament Edition | Total Attending Spectators | Matches Played | Average Attendance per Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 Uruguay | 590,549 | 18 | 32,808 |
| 1934 Italy | 363,000 | 17 | 21,353 |
| 1938 France | 375,700 | 18 | 20,872 |
| 1950 Brazil | 1,045,246 | 22 | 47,511 |
| 1954 Switzerland | 768,607 | 26 | 29,562 |
| 1958 Sweden | 819,810 | 35 | 23,423 |
| 1962 Chile | 893,172 | 32 | 27,912 |
| 1966 England | 1,563,135 | 32 | 48,848 |
| 1970 Mexico | 1,603,975 | 32 | 50,124 |
| 1974 West Germany | 1,865,753 | 38 | 49,099 |
| 1978 Argentina | 1,545,791 | 38 | 40,679 |
| 1982 Spain | 2,109,723 | 52 | 40,572 |
| 1986 Mexico | 2,394,031 | 52 | 46,039 |
| 1990 Italy | 2,516,215 | 52 | 48,389 |
| 1994 United States | 3,587,538 | 52 | 68,991 |
| 1998 France | 2,785,100 | 64 | 43,517 |
| 2002 South Korea/Japan | 2,705,197 | 64 | 42,269 |
| 2006 Germany | 3,359,439 | 64 | 52,491 |
| 2010 South Africa | 3,178,856 | 64 | 49,670 |
| 2014 Brazil | 3,429,873 | 64 | 53,592 |
| 2018 Russia | 3,031,768 | 64 | 47,371 |
| 2022 Qatar | 3,404,252 | 64 | 53,191 |
(Data compiled from official FIFA historical archives, financial reports, and public tournament schedules.)