USMNT World Cup Ticket Sale ‘Struggles’ Highlight Worrying Trend for Host Nation

The Stars and Stripes open their World Cup campaign at SoFi Stadium.

Mauricio Pochettino previously pleaded with more USMNT fans to attend matches. | Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

The buzz surrounding the U.S. men’s national team’s 2026 World Cup opener against Paraguay has not translated into ticket sales, with thousands of seats reportedly still available for purchase.

The biggest World Cup of all time, unfolding largely on U.S. soil this summer, is also the most expensive by a large margin. FIFA has come under fire for staggering ticket costs that price out many fans across the globe, as well as exorbitant resale markets and hiked transportation fees.

Such expenses were especially aimed at the USMNT’s first game of the tournament at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The match was the third-most expensive of the entire competition when tickets first dropped in October, but the $2,730 Category 1 and $1,940 Category 2 tickets have seemingly struggled to sell.

The Athletic report a document distributed to local organizers listed only 40,934 tickets had been purchased for the June 12 bout, while SoFi Stadium has a capacity of 69,650 for the World Cup.

The numbers are even more damning considering the document revealed 50,661 tickets have already sold for Iran vs. New Zealand on June 15, a match also unfolding at the home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

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FIFA Issues Strong Response to the Reported Ticket Sales

President Donald Trump (left) and Gianni Infantino have a strong relationship. | Tasos Katopodis/FIFA/Getty Images

The Athletic confirmed it reached out to FIFA for clarification on the figures listed in the document, particularly about how many seats actually remain available for purchase since it did not specify whether the numbers included tickets not sold to the general public.

The governing body declined to provide context, but it issued a response once the article was published on Tuesday. A spokesperson emphasized that “ticket sales for the FIFA World Cup remain strong with a high degree of interest for all matches, including the ones you have highlighted.”

The spokesperson went on to say the document “does not accurately reflect actual sales to date” and accused The Athletic of publishing “misleading” figures as fact.

Hours later, FIFA announced another “last-minute ticket sales phase” for this summer’s tournament. On Wednesday, April 22, more tickets across all 104 matches will be made available for public purchase; however, it is not yet clear if prices will be dropped.

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Worrying USMNT Trend Seemingly Affecting World Cup Sales

overwhelmingly a pro-Korea crowd in Jersey pic.twitter.com/xOgyr7tje6

— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) September 6, 2025

While high prices are likely the main contributing factor for the reported stagnant ticket sales for the USMNT’s opener against Paraguay, there is also another reason to consider: The Stars and Stripes do not draw large enough crowds to sell out some of the biggest stadiums in the United States.

So often, the USMNT plays in front of crowds largely in favor of their opponents, even when they are playing on home soil. Manager Mauricio Pochettino previously pleaded with American fans to “please come more” to games after the team played in front of a largely pro-South Korea crowd in in Harrison, New Jersey back in September.

The Argentine echoed the sentiment in November after his men played against Paraguay in Chesterfield, Pennsylvania in front of 17,224 people, less than one-third of SoFi Stadium’s World Cup capacity. “We need our fans to follow and support the national team. We need to build that relationship. Our fans need to be fans of the USA men’s national team and follow our crest, our flag, our colors. That’s the most important.”

Pochettino’s statements came in the months following an embarrassing turnout for matches against Panama and Canada at SoFi Stadium in the Concacaf Nations League in March 2025. The Stars and Stripes played both matches in front of largely empty seats.

The trend does not bode well for the USMNT—or for FIFA—ahead of the World Cup. The host nation will need every bit of support from the home crowd if they want to make a run in the tournament, but high prices and a general lack of interest could take away the massive (and necessary) advantage.

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