The BBC has caught FIFA out in a blatant lie regarding ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup. In its bid book, the world football governing body had promised relatively ‘affordable’ tickets, but subsequently failed to honour that commitment. In reality, prices have skyrocketed. At the same time, ticket sales are proving chaotic and frustrating for supporters worldwide.
FIFA has opened the final sales phase for the 2026 World Cup. Whilst the federation had promised a maximum price of $1,550 for a final ticket, the prices are now many times higher. Prices rose sharply during the initial sales, but in the most recent sales round, tickets have been observed costing as much as $10,990. This is likely the most expensive standard ticket price ever for a football match.
Even the ‘cheaper’ categories have seen a significant rise in price. A ticket in category three went from $4,185 to $5,785, an increase of over 38 per cent. Category two even reached $7,380, whilst asking prices continue to fluctuate due to the use of dynamic pricing models.
The uncertainty surrounding ticket sales is causing additional frustration among fans. FIFA has not published a full pricing structure and did not announce in advance which matches would be available. Supporters had to queue for hours in virtual queues, with no guarantee of success.
The BBC experienced first-hand just how problematic the system is. Due to a technical error, thousands of fans were placed in the wrong queue, after which they had to join the back of the queue again. In some cases, it took more than six hours to gain access to the ticket system.
Even those who managed to get in were met with a limited selection. Of the 72 group matches, only 35 were initially available, with no fixtures featuring top nations such as England or Scotland. Strikingly, the Netherlands was the only country in the top ten of the qualifying rankings for which tickets were on sale.
Prices on the official resale market are even higher. A ticket for the World Cup final was offered there for $82,780, whilst the cheapest option still cost $27,000. FIFA not only makes a fortune from regular ticket sales, but also receives a thirty (!) per cent commission on resold tickets.
Critics speak of a ‘monumental betrayal’ of supporters and point to the lack of transparency. “Supporters simply don’t know where they stand,” say fan organisations. For many fans, attending the World Cup has therefore become unfeasible, with total costs potentially running well over €10,000.