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Copa America organizers worried about empty seats in Brazil

Brazil Soccer Copa America Venezuela Peru

Fans sit on almost empty stands during a Copa America Group A soccer match between Venezuela and Peru at the Arena do Gremio stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Saturday, June 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

AP

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) The head of South America’s soccer governing body is worried about empty seats at the Copa America tournament in Brazil.

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But CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said Sunday he believes the attendances will improve as the tournament advances.

More than 46,000 fans paid an average of $125 per ticket at Brazil’s opener against Bolivia, but at least 22,000 seats were empty at the Morumbi Stadium for a match that organizers initially said was a sellout.

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Sunday’s 2-2 draw between Qatar and Paraguay saw 20,000 fans at the 87,000-seater Maracana.

“It worries us, of course it worries us,” Dominguez said after a CONMEBOL event in Rio de Janeiro, adding “I think it will improve.”