$10,990 for a seat? Football World Cup 2026 ticket prices shock fans; netizens say ‘game killed and buried by FIFA’

FIFA has raised the top ticket price for this year’s World Cup final to $10,990, almost 7 times higher than the last World Cup's ticket price. The most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final was about $1,600. The development comes as FIFA releases a new batch of tickets for sale on Wednesday after the finalisation of the 48-team World Cup lineup.

The latest pricing marks an increase from the previous round of ticket sales, when the highest-priced final tickets stood at $8,680. Prices have climbed across the lower tiers as well, with Category 2 tickets now at $7,380, up from $5,575 in December, and Category 3 tickets rising to $5,785 from $4,185.

Fifa is using the widely criticised dynamic pricing model for this year’s World Cup, in which prices can increase or decrease depending on demand. Fifa has said profits from the tournament will help fund grassroots football across the world, an article by the Gaurdian pointed out

The use of dynamic pricing has come under criticism from the netizen

Tickets for the final and 17 group-stage matches went on sale Wednesday, with more set to be released in phases through the remainder of the tournament.

The launch of the latest sales window was marred by glitches. FIFA did not specify which matches or pricing categories were available, and hence fans had to search on a Fifa website which took some users hours to enter. FIFA said this is the first sales phase allowing supporters to select specific seats inside stadiums, rather than submitting general requests within a price tier. Tickets will also be offered on a resale platform, where FIFA will charge a 15% fee to both buyers and sellers.

FIFA also said that not all remaining tickets were being put on sale for the 104 games to be played in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19 and that additional tickets will be released on a rolling basis.

This was the fifth phase of ticket sales following a Visa presale draw from September 10-19, an early ticket draw from October 27-31, a random selection draw from December 11 to January 13 and an unscheduled 48-hour availability in late February.

FIFA said this phase, which will remain open through the tournament, marked the first time a specific seat location could be purchased rather than a request for a ticket in a category.

The World Cup kicks off on 11 June and will take place in cities across the US, Mexico and Canada with the final taking place in New Jersey on 19 July.