Outrage as World Cup Final Ticket Reaches $143,000

Outrage as World Cup Final Ticket Reaches $143,000
Fans criticize FIFA for high prices and limited discounted tickets.
Final ticket phase to run first-come, first-served from April.

Ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup have surged on FIFA’s official resale platform, with seats for several matches listed at multiple times their original face value, even weeks after the main sales phase ended in January.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously warned that resale tickets could carry high prices, a prediction now reflected on the organization’s own platform. As of Wednesday, a “category three” seat the top section of the stands for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11 was listed at $5,324, compared with its original price of $895.

The stakes are even higher for the World Cup final on July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey, where a category three seat is being advertised for $143,750, more than 41 times its original $3,450 price. The cheapest ticket for the final on the resale site is listed at $9,775.

In rare cases, some ticket prices have fallen. One ticket for Austria’s group match against Jordan at California’s Levi’s Stadium is listed at $552, down from its original price of $620.

Football fans have criticized the resale prices. Guillaume Aupretre, spokesperson for French supporters group Irresistibles Francais, said, “These exorbitant prices unfortunately don’t surprise me. Many people buy to resell. In the end, the passionate fans pay the price.”

Despite high prices, demand remains strong, with FIFA reporting some 500 million ticket requests worldwide.

FIFA’s resale platform acts as a facilitator, taking a 15% fee while allowing resellers to set prices. The organization defended the system, saying it reflects market practices for major events and the legal treatment of secondary markets in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Reselling above face value is prohibited in Mexico only when tickets are purchased locally with Mexican pesos.

Ticketing has become one of the World Cup’s most controversial issues. Fan groups such as Football Supporters Europe have called FIFA’s approach a “monumental betrayal,” prompting the organization to introduce a limited number of $60 tickets for official supporter groups—a move critics say is insufficient.

FIFA has been notifying applicants since February 5 about ticket allocations from the second sales phase, which ended in January. A final “last-minute” phase will run from April until the end of the tournament, operating on a first-come, first-served basis. FIFA maintains that it applies “variable pricing” based on demand and availability but does not use an automated dynamic pricing model.