FIFA is accustomed to massive public demand for World Cup tickets, but things are very different for the 2026 edition, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
According to international media reports, there is a significant drop in ticket sales, causing serious concern for Gianni Infantino’s administration and putting the success of the 2026 tournament at risk.
FIFA had expected a much higher turnout, especially with the tournament featuring 48 teams. However, the exorbitant ticket prices have created a scenario that Infantino greatly fears.
With only four months remaining until the World Cup, the number of ticket holders is significantly lower than usual. The main reason for this is the astronomical prices set for matches, even those in the group stage.
Tickets for the random draw reached $700 for group stage matches, more than four times the price of tickets for the Qatar 2022 tournament, for example.
Most tickets for the World Cup final cost thousands of dollars. After a public outcry, FIFA added a limited number of tickets at $60 per match. However, this did little to allay fans’ concerns.
Meanwhile, the stringent visa restrictions imposed by the United States on fans from various countries are another major reason for the low ticket sales.
FIFA cannot afford to lose the usual World Cup attendance, as this could discourage countries from bidding to host the tournament in the future, threatening FIFA’s and football’s most important source of revenue. Therefore, intervention to significantly reduce prices is expected to salvage the situation.
