Attendance at the 2024 World Cup of Hockey is breaking records. Will it be the highest ever?

The hockey championship in the Czech Republic has only just begun, but it is already evident that it is attracting a record number of spectators. It seems that the Czech Republic has a real chance to break its 2015 record of 741,690 spectators. How does the attendance this year compare to 2015?

Nine years ago, the lowest attendance after the first weekend was at the Belarus vs Slovenia match in Ostrava, where 5,995 spectators came. This year, the lowest number was 8 425 people at the Sweden vs Poland match on Sunday.

In Prague the difference is even more significant. In 2015, 8 780 spectators came to the least attended match Switzerland vs France, while this year 13 512 people came to the duel Switzerland vs Austria.

How does the total attendance look like now?

1. day

48 522 spectators (2015)
52 248 spectators (2024)

2. day

115 869 spectators (2015)
129 642 spectators (2024)

3. day

178 468 spectators (2015)
200 661 spectators (2024)

4. day

226 612 spectators (2015)
251 619 spectators (2024)

5. day

256 330 spectators (2015)
290 156 spectators (2024)

6. day

300 375 spectators (2015)
340 569 spectators (2024)

This year’s World Cup is attacking the record

So far, after day six, attendance is 40,194 more than in 2015. If this trend continues, the championship could attack the 800,000 spectator mark.

It is also important to mention that the final weekend is held only in Prague. The capacity of both arenas has increased slightly. In the O2 arena from 17 383 to 17 413 spectators and in the Ostrava arena from 8 812 to 9 109 spectators. The first six of the eight games in Ostrava were completely sold out.

The total attendance is still uncertain because we don’t know who will advance to the quarterfinals and the final weekend. Organizers believe that fans who do not yet have tickets and saw full arenas during the weekend will choose to come to any championship game. The atmosphere at all the games so far has been great and is expected to continue to be so.

Source: X, IIHF, IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2024, Robert Sara