‘Absolutely Crazy’—FIFA President Breaks Silence on World Cup Ticket Prices Amid Backlash

Gianni Infantino had a very concrete explanation for the astronomical cost of 2026 World Cup tickets.

Gianni Infantino spoke on the controversy surrounding the high World Cup ticket prices. / FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave an emphatic defense of the heavily criticized 2026 World Cup ticket prices, citing the unprecedented demand as the main reason behind the sky-high prices.

In some instances, ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup are five times more expensive than in the previous tournament in Qatar in 2022, prompting swift and severe backlash from fans all over the world. Speaking at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Infantino gave the reasoning behind the high prices, making a massive revelation.

“We have six to seven million tickets on sale,” Infantino said via BBC Sport. “And in 15 days we received 150 million ticket requests. So 10 million ticket requests every single day. It shows how powerful the World Cup is.

“In the almost 100 years of the World Cup, FIFA has sold 44 million tickets in total. So, in two weeks we could have filled 300 years of World Cups. Imagine that. This is absolutely crazy.”

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The high prices will make going to stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico during the World Cup for a once in a generation event simply unaffordable for fans. FIFA’s response to the backlash was to open a new, restricted tier of tickets at $60 for every game.

Infantino revealed they were aware of the critics which he described as “feedback” and that the cheaper tier was the “right thing to do.” Still, the rest of the eye-watering priced tickets, plenty of which reach four figures, remain unchanged.

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Where Does The Money From World Cup Tickets Go?

The 2026 World Cup is an absolute cash cow for FIFA. / Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images

It’s no secret that FIFA will get a massive piece of the World Cup ticket pie. With the 2026 World Cup being the first 48-team tournament, on top of the astronomical prices, the money generated from ticket sales will be unprecedented.

Speaking on the matter, Infantino made sure to detail where FIFA will be reinvesting the revenue from its handsome slice.

“What’s crucial is that the revenues that are generated from this are going back to the game all over the world,” Infantino said. “Without FIFA there’d be no football in 150 countries in the world. There is football because, and thanks to, these revenues we generate with, and from, the World Cup which we reinvest all over the world.”

Only time will tell if Infantino’s repeated promise to help the sport develop all over the world becomes a concrete reality. What’s certain is that the economic revenue generated from World Cup ticket sales could make a significant impact.

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