Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have soared to unprecedented levels on FIFA’s official resale platform, with some seats selling for over 40 times their original face value, weeks after the main sales phase ended in January.
As of Wednesday, a category three seat for the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11 was listed at $5,324, up from its original price of $895. Even more staggering, a category three ticket for the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19 was advertised at $143,750, compared to the face value of $3,450. The cheapest ticket for the final on the resale site was $9,775.
Some tickets, however, have seen slight decreases. A ticket for Austria’s group game against Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California is currently listed at $552, down from $620.
Fan groups have condemned the inflated resale prices, saying ordinary supporters are being priced out. Guillaume Aupretre, spokesperson for the French national team supporters group Irresistibles Français, said:
“These exorbitant prices don’t surprise me. In the end, the passionate fans pay the price. We would prefer tickets benefit real supporters, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.”
Despite the eye-watering prices, demand remains intense, with FIFA reporting some 500 million ticket requests to date.
FIFA clarified that its resale platform only facilitates the secondary market, charging a 15% service fee, while individual resellers set prices.
The agency said this model aligns with market practices for major entertainment events in the U.S. and Canada, where the resale market is largely unregulated. In Mexico, resale above face value is prohibited only when purchased in local currency.
Ticketing has become one of the most controversial issues for the 2026 tournament.
2026 NPA Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament begins Jan. 11 Fan groups such as Football Supporters Europe have called FIFA’s pricing a “monumental betrayal.” In response, FIFA has introduced a limited number of $60 tickets for official supporters groups — a measure critics argue does not go far enough.