FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy (PTI Photo) Tickets for the World Cup, which starts in North America in 100 days, are expensive — nearly $900 for the opening game and more than $8,000 for the final.AFP Sport explains the cost of attending matches at the tournament.
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How many tickets are available and how high is the demand?According to FIFA, nearly seven million tickets were made available for the World Cup. Each person can purchase up to four tickets per match and a maximum of 40 tickets for the entire tournament.About two million tickets were sold in the first lottery held in October. The second sales phase in December and January, which was also run as a lottery, received a record 508 million ticket requests, showing huge global demand.FIFA has not confirmed how many tickets have been sold at this stage. However, the most anticipated matches include the Group K match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27, Mexico’s co-host against South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18 and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.Ticket prices for the Expanded World Cup are on the rise104 matches will be played in this World Cup, for the first time the tournament will have 48 teams. But ticket prices for the biggest games are very high.A fan group said tickets were first promised to start at $21, but the cheapest tickets were actually around $60. For many big games, most tickets cost at least $200.In the finale, the cheapest seats cost about $2,000, while the best seats go for up to $8,680.Prices are even higher on sales websites. One ticket to the finals was listed for more than $140,000, far more than its original price.FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the prices are high because demand is very strong.“Especially in the US, there’s something called dynamic pricing, which means the prices will go up or down” depending on the match in question, he said.After complaints, FIFA released some cheaper tickets for $60, but these are limited and only available to fans of teams that have qualified.FIFA also sells VIP packages that include better seats and lounge access. These packages can cost between $2,900 and $4,500 for some matches.Prices may be higherFIFA will release additional tickets from April on a first-come, first-served basis.Fans can also buy tickets on resale websites, but sellers can set their own prices. There are no strict rules for resale prices in the US and Canada.For example, a “category 3” seat – the highest section of the stands – for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11 was recently listed for $5,324, down from an original price of $895. Other sites like SeatGeek and StubHub sold tickets at slightly lower prices.Other costs for fansFans also have to pay for parking, which is expensive. Parking can cost $100 in some cities and up to $300 in others.An alternative for visiting fans who do not have match tickets is to go to one of the Fan Festivals in and around the 16 host cities. Fan Fest in Kansas City will be able to welcome up to 25,000 people. In New York, the US Open tennis venue at Flushing Meadows will be transformed into a fan zone that can accommodate up to 10,000 paying visitors, albeit only from June 17-28.
