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FIFA’s 2026 World Cup Ticket Rollout Triggers Backlash as Prices Rise to Match Demand

Roughly one million seats sold in the opening window, with scarce low-cost options plus dual 15% resale fees fueling complaints.

Overview

  • FIFA said pricing would follow demand and availability, and some tickets increased within days, including a U.S. group-stage top tier rising from $535 to $565.
  • The Athletic reported relatively few tickets were offered in the cheapest category during the first phase.
  • Final tickets are priced far above recent tournaments, with reported ranges around €1,745 to €5,470 compared with up to €1,390 for Qatar 2022.
  • The official resale platform applies a 15% fee to sellers and another 15% to buyers on every completed transaction.
  • Demand was enormous, with about 4.5 million requests and roughly one million tickets sold — around 15% of total capacity — and more sales rounds are scheduled later in 2025.