The highest official attendance for a single World Cup match is 199,854.
That crowd watched Uruguay defeat Brazil 2–1 at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium on 16 July 1950. The match was the decisive game of the 1950 World Cup’s final round rather than a final in the later knockout sense, but it determined the champion. Brazil needed only a draw, while Uruguay had to win.
Brazil took the lead through Friaça early in the second half, prompting a huge celebration. Uruguay equalized through Juan Alberto Schiaffino before Alcides Ghiggia scored the winner with just over 10 minutes remaining. The shock defeat became known as the Maracanazo and remains one of football’s defining upsets.
Some accounts estimate that more than 200,000 people were actually inside or around the stadium, because the venue still relied heavily on standing terraces and crowd counting was difficult. The quiz asks for the official figure, however, making 199,854 the accepted answer. It remains the recognized World Cup attendance record.