Should the 2026 FIFA World Cup Be Priced Like the Super Bowl?

MLS Commissioner Don Garber defended FIFA’s ticket pricing on Saturday.

Don Garber hopes the 2026 World Cup on American soil will promote interest in MLS. | Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be more expensive for fans than any past edition of the tournament, with the act of shelling out thousands a near requirement to see one’s team play in person.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber doesn’t see a problem.

FIFA has implemented “variable pricing” for the first time in the tournament’s almost 100-year existence, putting the prices of even group stages in line with consumer demand, as opposed to a flat rate established from the outset. The consequence is that the most sought-after games, such as the tournament’s opener, games between popular teams and the knockout round matches come at an exorbitant price.

For example, a Category 1 seat to Miami’s group stage match between Portugal and Colombia was priced at $890 on Wednesday when FIFA rolled out its fourth and final phase of sales—up from the average $220 fans paid for Category 1 ticket to group stage matches in 2022 Qatar, according to The Sporting News. A Category 1 ticket to the 2026 World Cup opener at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca was listed at $2,985—nearly five times what a premium seat at the 2022 Qatar opener cost. Tickets to the 2026 World Cup final at East Rutherford, N.J. reached a whopping $10,990—over quadruple what fans paid to witness the title bout between Argentina and France in 2022 Qatar.

Fans have expressed outrage over FIFA’s “price gouging”; however, Garber stepped in on Saturday to defend the governing body.

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What Did Don Garber Say?

Don Garber attended the FIFA 2026 World Cup draw. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Garber, while attending the grand opening of Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium on Saturday, commented on FIFA’s ticket pricing, stating his belief that the pricing mirrors the tournament’s high status and exclusivity and likening the tournament’s games to the pricey events of other American sports.

“I think the president of FIFA has been pretty clear to say [the matches are] going to be [like] dozens and dozens of Super Bowls, and nobody seems to have issues with championship events that have ticket pricing that’s appropriate for the exclusivity and nature of that event,” Garber said, per The Guardian, nodding to the dynamic pricing model used in the NFL’s Super Bowl, which led to a ticket price range of $4,000-$30,000 on secondary markets for this year’s title game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, per CBS News.

“So, FIFA has been smart. They have variable ticket pricing, and I’m hoping they’ll be providing access to anybody that wants to buy a ticket. It’s not really for me to comment on pricing. [MLS] has nothing to do with that, it’s FIFA decision. But I think it’s going to be a premier event and premier pricing Americans are used to.”

Gianni Infantino has implemented dynamic pricing for the 2026 World Cup. | Buda Mendes/FIFA/Getty Images

Although the 2026 World Cup will take place on American soil this summer—co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the question remains whether the tournament can—and should—be treated as an intrinsically “American” event with North American norms and prices, or rather, as the global affair it claims to be.

Separately, the quintessential “American” event—the Super Bowl—to which Garber refers has never been a fan-first experience when it comes to filling stands. The vast majority of tickets are already allocated before offered to regular fans—given first to the team’s players and staff; the league’s staff; NFL-connected corporations and sponsors; and celebrities before being placed in a highly-competitive lottery for regular fans. The New York Times estimates that only about 25% of seats at the Super Bowl are for regular fans.

Regardless of whether or not the 2026 World Cup is to be an “American” affair, Garber hopes that MLS, the U.S.’s top flight, will reap the reward of having soccer’s grandest affair on American soil, as he actively works to grow the league.

“We’re going to be present during the games,” Garber said. “We’ve just finalized the last shoot for major advertising campaigns. It’s the first time we’ve ever produced anything like that. We’ll be advertising in the final and semi-finals with some of our biggest stars that we think will resonate around the world. It’s important to us. We’ve got our teams activating in every market. We have fan fests in every market, whether they’re in host communities or not.”

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