The 2023 World Cup, a cricketing extravaganza that fans had eagerly awaited, kicked off with an inaugural clash between England and New Zealand at the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5. However, despite the anticipation, the world’s largest stadium, boasting a capacity of around 132,000 spectators, witnessed a surprising sight—plenty of empty seats.
As England and New Zealand took to the field, the stadium that should have been bustling with excitement featured numerous vacant seats. While pockets of spectators were visible, the overall attendance was limited, leaving many wondering about the reasons behind this unexpected turnout.
In the lead-up to the tournament, one aspect that drew significant criticism was the timing of the schedule announcement. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the fixtures just 100 days before the event’s commencement—this late release left little room for planning and scheduling, affecting fans and authorities.
Adding to the scheduling woes, local state police authorities expressed their concerns about hosting matches that coincided with essential festival dates in India. As a result, the tournament’s itinerary underwent multiple changes, with the final schedule being announced on August 9, 2023, less than two months before the World Cup’s start.
Ticketing issues further compounded the challenges. Many fans reported difficulties while attempting to book match passes on BookMyShow, the official ticketing partner of the World Cup. Several stands were marked as unavailable due to being sold out or not up for sale, leaving fans frustrated.
Really hope the Stadium gets filled a bit by evening.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 5, 2023
The World Cup opener deserves more public on the stands! pic.twitter.com/oDknm9qEGD
Where’s the crowd !?🤔🤔
— Danielle Wyatt (@Danni_Wyatt) October 5, 2023
Maybe it wouldn't have been this embarassing if you hadn't started ticket sales at the last minute repulsing fans who wanted to travel from NZ/ENG, hoarding tickets and then giving them away for free as a way to save face at the last minute.
— Manya (@CSKian716) October 5, 2023
You can build the biggest stadium.… pic.twitter.com/6WO7UCdrTJ
Liftoff in the Cricket World Cup – shame about all the empty seats pic.twitter.com/eNvuzHoWtr
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) October 5, 2023
With temperatures soaring to 33 degrees Celsius, some hope lingered that the crowd would swell as the day transitioned into the evening. This weather factor led to speculation that more spectators might turn up for future matches, especially the high-profile India vs. Pakistan clash scheduled at the same stadium in less than ten days.
In an exciting development, the Gujarat wing of India’s ruling party, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), took steps to fill the seats. They announced the reservation of 40,000 seats for women for the match, offering complimentary tickets and coupons for lunch and tea. The recent passage of the Reservation Bill for Women in the Indian Parliament inspired this initiative.