Fifa overruled its own US-based staff who argued against the use of dynamic pricing for the 2026 World Cup, according to multiple sources involved in delivering the tournament. Employees in the governing body’s Miami office initially pushed for a different ticketing strategy that would have kept general admission prices more affordable, but the organisation’s leadership chose a revenue-maximising approach instead.
The internal opposition came from staff who believed the tournament should be accessible to a broader range of fans. However, Fifa’s senior management treated the 2026 finals as a once-in-a-generation chance to capitalise on the strength of demand and the wealth of the American market. The ultimate pricing decision, although it remains unclear whether it was taken by the Fifa president’s office directly, was approved by the organisation’s executive committee.
Fifa’s revenue-focused rationale
Fifa has projected total revenues of around $11bn (£8.3bn) from the 2026 World Cup, of which approximately $3bn will come from ticket sales. The overall income for the 2023–2026 cycle is expected to reach $13bn. To achieve those figures, the governing body introduced a dynamic pricing model – the first time it has used such a system for official ticket sales – in which prices adjust in real time according to supply and demand. Fifa described this as a means to ensure “fair and safe access to tickets that are as close to market value as possible”, though it has also said it is not implementing a “dynamic pricing model” because prices will not be “automatically modified”, preferring instead to call it “variable pricing” to optimise sales and attendance.
The price range is stark. Group-stage tickets cost between $60 and $2,735; for the final the range is $2,020 to $7,875. Some reports indicate that initial prices for the final were listed as high as $10,990, with hospitality seats reaching $73,200. By contrast, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw prices from $69 to $1,607 for the final. On the legal secondary market in the United States, tickets for the final have been listed at up to $28,500. Fifa’s own official resale marketplace has recorded sales volume exceeding $16m, with the highest single sale reaching $19,999.
Despite the high prices, Fifa reported an occupancy rate of 99.54% for the first 36 games of the tournament and said the vast majority of matches have sold out. The governing body also claimed that more than 6m tickets had been sold as of 10 June 2026, and that over 500m ticket requests were submitted in a 33-day period.
The 2018 bid book submitted by the three host nations – Canada, Mexico and the United States – mentioned dynamic pricing but stated at the time that they were not pursuing it. The same document also indicated that Fifa had previously instructed the hosts not to charge “huge prices for higher-end tickets”. The bid book noted that “North America is a sophisticated market for ticketing” and that “new models are currently being developed” but said they had “not factored in dynamic ticket pricing” nor applied any premium on hospitality or other high-quality seats, “per instruction”.
Fifa has defended the strategy on the grounds that the money raised is reinvested into global football. At least 90% of its revenues go to the Fifa Forward programme, which for the 2023–2026 cycle provides up to $8m per member association. A record $355m has been committed to the Club Benefits Programme to compensate clubs for releasing players, and a dedicated Football Development Fund of $660m has been set aside for infrastructure, coaching education, women’s football and youth development.
Criticism and investigations
The pricing has drawn widespread criticism from fans, politicians and players. Attorneys general in California, New York, New Jersey and Texas have opened investigations or raised concerns about Fifa’s ticketing tactics, citing confusion, falsehoods, shortages and exorbitant prices. The Society for American Soccer History described the amount of lower-cost tickets as “insultingly small”. Some critics have pointed to last-minute price cuts and the return of hotel rooms due to low demand as an attempt to “save face and avoid empty seats”, labelling the approach “foul play”.
Fifa insisted in a statement that its ticketing policy “followed extensive consultation and agreement with all areas of the organisation” and that “no alternative plans were ever presented”, adding that it was “enjoying record attendances” with more than 99% capacity. The organisation said all elements of its leadership were aligned on the strategy.
In a press conference on the eve of the tournament, Fifa president Gianni Infantino sought to justify the high prices. He argued that selling tickets at a lower price point in the American market would simply drive them to secondary markets, where they would be sold at “much, much, much higher prices” with the profits going to scalpers rather than football. “If you sell it at a lower price point in this particular market it would have gone to secondary markets at much, much, much higher prices,” Infantino said. “Where would the money go then? Well, to those who organise secondary markets or black market activities and not to football.”
Infantino also claimed that the average World Cup ticket price was below $500, which he said was comparable to other US sports during their playoffs. His claim holds true when resale prices on secondary markets are factored in, but does not appear accurate when comparing initial official prices alone. By way of comparison, Major League Baseball’s average World Series ticket has been between $350 and $400 in recent years, while NFL playoff prices last season averaged $230 for the wildcard round, $320 for divisional games, $450 for conference championships and $3,300 for the Super Bowl.
The Fifa president also advised fans to “chill” about the prices, describing the tournament as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. He cited “unprecedented” demand, although some reports indicated that several matches were not sold out as of 12 June 2026.
