FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the steep pricing for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, arguing that the high market rates in the United States are validated by the overwhelming demand seen on secondary platforms. Speaking on the economic scale of the tournament, Infantino highlighted the massive surge in the resale market as a clear indicator of the event’s unprecedented value.
The scale of global interest is reflected in the staggering 500 million ticket requests received by FIFA for the summer showpiece. With the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, recent media reports have revealed the extreme nature of this demand, with some premium seats being listed on resale sites for more than $2 million.
“If some people put on a secondary resale market some tickets for the final at $2 million, number one, it doesn’t mean the ticket costs $2 million,” Infantino said at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
“Number two, it doesn’t mean that somebody will buy these tickets. Actually, if someone buys a ticket for $2 million, I will personally bring them a hot dog and a coke to make sure he has a great experience.”
Why are FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices so high?
Ticket prices for the World Cup being held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico have seen a considerable increase from the 2022 edition in Qatar. Tickets for the final in July range from $2,030 to $6,370, significantly higher than the final in Doha, priced from $206 to $1,607.
FIFA has faced calls from several groups to lower ticket prices, including from dozens of U.S. lawmakers.
Due to backlash over prices, FIFA introduced a small number of $60 tickets tucked high in the top corners of stadiums, limited in number compared to the other categories.
“We are in that market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said.
“In the U.S., it is permitted to resell tickets as well. If you were to sell tickets at a price which is too low, these tickets would be resold at a much higher price.
“We have 25% of the group stage match tickets that can be bought for less than $300. In the U.S., you cannot go to watch a college game… of a certain level for less than $300. And this is the World Cup.”
(With Inputs From Reuters)Â
