FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices soar, raising concerns over fan access

The last time the United States hosted the FIFA World Cup was in 1994, when ticket prices for group stage matches started at just $25. Premium seats for the final were priced up to $425, with the average ticket costing around $58. That tournament, famously featuring Diego Maradona for Argentina, set the foundation for FIFA’s modern commercial model, attracting major sponsors, generating huge media rights revenue, and securing an estimated profit of $1.45 billion.

 

Now, as the World Cup returns to North America after more than three decades, ticket pricing strategies indicate a much more aggressive revenue focus from FIFA.

 

 

2026 World Cup Tickets: A Steep Price to Pay

 

Simply put, the 2026 World Cup tickets are expensive. While a price hike was anticipated, the significant jump combined with dynamic pricing models means that attending matches will come at a premium. These pricing systems are designed to ensure full stadiums but limit access to those willing to pay top dollar.

 

The highest ticket price for the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is expected to be around $6,730, with resale prices reaching as high as $25,000. For comparison, the cheapest group stage ticket is $60, similar to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but very few such tickets will be available, mostly in less desirable seating areas. The 2022 final’s best ticket, between Argentina and France, cost $1,607.

 

Tickets are categorized into four tiers, with prices rising from Category 4 to Category 1. A quarter-final ticket in Boston starts at $275 (Cat 4), while the priciest quarter-final ticket at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles is $1,690. Semi-final tickets range from $450 in Atlanta to $2,780 in Dallas. Importantly, FIFA has introduced a market-driven pricing system, meaning these prices can fluctuate based on demand.

 

Dynamic Pricing: A First for FIFA

 

Dynamic pricing, commonly used in North American sports and entertainment, adjusts ticket costs depending on demand. FIFA is implementing this system for the World Cup for the first time.

 

Previously, FIFA tested dynamic pricing during the Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Fluminense in the US, where the ticket price started at $474 but dropped as low as $13 due to low demand just before kickoff. 

 

While this model benefits low-demand matches, it risks pricing out local fans and supporters from less wealthy countries, catering primarily to those able to pay premium prices.

 

Heimo Schirgi, FIFA’s World Cup 2026 COO, advised, “I think the message is ‘Get your tickets early,’ especially if you know where you will be because you live in that city or you’re a fan of the three hosting nations, and then you know already when and where they will play,” in an interview with ESPN.

 

FIFA’s Own Ticket Resale Platform

 

Ticket reselling, often a problem for fans priced out of events, has been turned into a revenue source by FIFA. The organization has launched its own ticket resale platform.

 

On this platform, FIFA collects a 15% commission from both the buyer and seller. For instance, if a ticket sells for $100, FIFA earns $15, and the seller nets $85. If that ticket is later resold for $115, FIFA collects another 15% on the resale price.

 

Criticism: Pricing Out True Fans

 

World Cup football isn’t just about the game on the field; it’s about the vibrant atmosphere created by fans in the stadiums. From South American supporters making noise at the 2014 Brazil World Cup to the iconic Vuvuzelas in South Africa 2010, fans play a crucial role in making the tournament memorable. Pricing entire regions out of attending risks losing this essential element.

 

Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe, voiced strong criticism in an interview with The Athletic: “This is not ‘make football truly global,’ this is the privatization of what was once a tournament open to all. FIFA’s leadership seems unable to understand that it needs fans in the stands. It needs life, the atmosphere, the colors, the diversity. None of this exists when you set such prices.”