FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the record high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup despite mounting criticism from fans’ groups and commentators. Supporters have branded the pricing “extortionate” and “shameful,” with some seats for the final reportedly costing several thousand dollars.
The most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar was around 1,600 dollars at face value, but for the 2026 final in North America the top category is now about 11,000 dollars. Even group stage matches range from around 140 dollars up to 2,735 dollars, with prices rising sharply in the knockout rounds.
Infantino argued that FIFA has to “apply market rates” because the tournament is taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where sports and entertainment pricing is already very high. He said demand has been “absolutely crazy,” with more than 500 million ticket requests received for 2026 compared to under 50 million combined for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
The FIFA president also noted that around 25 percent of tickets for group games are priced under 300 dollars and that a restricted new tier at 60 dollars per ticket has been opened to address some of the backlash. He claimed that in many US sports, fans already pay similar amounts or more for regular season games, insisting that the World Cup represents a unique, once in a generation event.
Infantino further stressed that FIFA is a non profit organisation and that revenue from ticket sales is reinvested into football development across its 211 member associations. He said many countries would struggle to fund organised football without FIFA subsidies and that the body is trying to balance accessibility with its global development commitments.
Fan organisations, including Football Supporters Europe, have filed complaints and warned that the pricing will shut ordinary supporters out of stadiums in 2026. They argue that adding a small number of cheaper tickets does not offset the overall surge in costs and accuse FIFA of prioritising corporate hospitality and wealthy spectators.
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