2026 World Cup Ticket Prices Create Serious Risk of Unwanted Spectacle—Report

FIFA’s estimate of total revenue from ticket sales has risen drastically.

The World Cup ticket prices have not gone down well. / Hector Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images

The surprisingly high cost of tickets for the 2026 World Cup is reported to have created a serious risk of empty seats across the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

Despite advertising $21 tickets during the bid to win the hosting rights for the tournament, no such value could be found when FIFA confirmed its pricing structure for the World Cup, and fan frustration grew further when learning the cheapest ticket to the final would cost upwards of $4,000—three times more expensive that the premium tier of 2022’s showpiece finale.

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A European supporters’ group branded the prices “extortionate,” while FIFA’s defense of its decision to take 15% from both the buyer and seller of any tickets resold through official channels also left fans across the globe furious.

According to The Times, there have been no suggestions that FIFA will lower the cost of tickets and, as a result, many national associations traveling to North America now have genuine concerns about not selling their full allocations.

On top of the obvious issues with ticket prices, overseas fans also have to consider transport and accommodation costs when exploring how to support their teams next summer. Many who registered their interest in tickets months ago have since walked away following the release of ticket prices.

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FIFA Oversees 65% Rise in Ticket Sales Forecast

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the process. / Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Ticket sales through national associations remain open until Jan. 13, at which point it will be revealed whether any have not sold their full allocations.

FIFA clearly have no concerns about a reduced attendance. Having initially predicted World Cup tickets would generate a total of around $1.8 billion, that estimate has now risen to $3 billion.

Contributing to that drastic rise is FIFA’s decision to adopt a dynamic pricing system, which raises the price of in-demand tickets compared to those generating less interest. The process is not unique to FIFA and has long attracted significant criticism.

FIFA claim to have received “extraordinary levels” of interest when it comes to ticket sales, although most of those supporters were based in the three host nations across North America.

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