Fifa faces criticism over ticket costs
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended the high cost of World Cup tickets, saying prices reflect the US entertainment market.
Fifa has been criticised by fan groups over the pricing structure. Football Supporters Europe called the prices excessive and filed a complaint with the European Commission in March.
The debate grew after Fifa’s resale website showed four final tickets listed at $2.3m each.
Resale fees could bring Fifa large sums
Fifa does not set seller prices on its resale site, but it charges fees on both sides of a transaction.
The buyer pays a 15% purchase fee, while the seller also pays a 15% resale fee. If one final ticket sold for $2.3m, Fifa would receive $690,000 in fees.
Infantino said a $2m resale listing does not mean that is the real ticket price or that anyone will buy it.
Infantino says demand explains the prices
Infantino argued that Fifa must follow market rates in the United States, where ticket resale is allowed.
He said low face-value prices would only lead to even higher resale profits. According to him, some tickets are already being resold for more than double their original price.
Fifa says it received more than 500m ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup. Infantino added that 25% of group-stage tickets cost under $300.
Fan groups compare 2026 prices with Qatar
Supporters have pointed to the large increase from the 2022 World Cup.
The most expensive face-value ticket for the 2022 final was about $1,600. For 2026, the most expensive original final ticket is about $11,000.
Critics also noted that many US sports tickets cost far less than $300, including some baseball, basketball playoff and college football seats.
