FIFA U17 World Cup: Which host venue has had the biggest attendance so far

#1 Salt Lake Stadium (Kolkata)

The Salt Lake Stadium has been the most attended venue so far

Highest Attendance: 56,372 Average Attendance: 50,316

The majestic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata was one of the largest stadiums in the world before it was renovated for the Indian Super League and then the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. Kolkata is known as the “Mecca of Indian football”, mainly due to its passion for the game and rich history associated with the game.

Though none of the matches featured India, still the Salt Lake Stadium recorded the highest attendance so far in the tournament with a turnout of 56,372 for the match between England and Iraq. The lowest attended match among all held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan was 44,665! It speaks loads about the football crazy fans in the ‘City of Joy.’

The venue which saw more than 1, 20,000 for the Kolkata Derby in 1997, was decreased to 80,000. FIFA allowed only 66,687 seats for the tournament so that the people can be vacated from the huge stands within minutes. Kolkata was upfront in terms of the number of tickets sold as they were sold out within hours after they opened to the public.

Many vital matches are still to be played at the venue including a Round of 16 tie, a quarter-final, the third-place match and the all-important final on the 28th October.