FIFA face main World Cup 2026 ticket embarrassment simply hours earlier than kick-off
The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway on Thursday evening, but the governing body is dealing with a number of issues including unsold tickets and steep FIFA ticket prices
Gianni Infantino called for critics to ‘relax’ after the latest pre-World Cup controversy.(Image: Getty Images)
FIFA is grappling with the reality of nearly 180,000 tickets still available just with the 2026 World Cup set to kick off. The tournament begins on Thursday evening amid a backdrop of sociopolitical tensions.
While security fears have emerged following several incidents, including a shooting near England’s training base. Leading referee Omar Artan was also denied entry to the United States this week ahead of the World Cup.
Ticket pricing has also ignited significant controversy, with extraordinarily high prices leaving countless supporters unable to afford entry. Seats for the final were reportedly advertised at nearly $33,000 (£24,600), but prices are now plummeting as demand wanes.
More than 4,000 tickets remain available for the United States’ opening clash against Paraguay through official channels. Despite substantial reductions, the average ticket price quoted on the site for the fixture still surpasses $800 (£597), while the cheapest remaining tickets available directly from FIFA cost $1,120 (£836).
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FIFA’s resale portal was listing 176,000 tickets available for the opening “group” phase of the tournament in the build-up to kick-off. With roughly 15,000 tickets available for purchase for group-stage encounters on FIFA’s official platform.
The initial hefty costs and the rollout of the widely slammed dynamic pricing model, which adjusts prices up and down according to demand, have attracted fierce backlash from both fans and politicians. New York and New Jersey officials have subsequently launched probes into the “impossibly high” ticket prices.
The pricing structure has left thousands of seats at risk of staying vacant when matches kick off, which would prove mortifying for FIFA. The organisation had previously hailed the strong appetite for World Cup tickets and disclosed in January that its ticketing website had drawn over 500 million booking requests.
FIFA had expected to generate more than $3billion (£2.24billion) from ticket and hospitality sales across the tournament – over three times the sum secured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite operating chiefly for financial benefit and systematic profit creation, FIFA is legally registered as a non-profit organisation.
Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with the Sky Glass ‘designed for football’
Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.
FIFA has defended its ticketing strategy as covering “a broad range of price points”.
However, following widespread condemnation of steep prices and declining sales, a limited batch of cheaper tickets have since been made available.
Ultimately, vacant seats would be a source of embarrassment for FIFA. Over the past month, the average ticket price on the official reseller platform has dropped by 20 per cent, and with a hefty 26 per cent resale fee, most resales could actually lead to a loss.
