FIFA President Gianni Infantino has launched a defence of World Cup ticket pricing despite the presence of some on the resale market for $2million (£1.47m). The Italian has even suggested he will serve up a hot dog and a Coke for anyone stumping up that cash.
Ticket Price Controversy
Ticket prices have been a controversial sticking point ahead of the World Cup hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with FIFA coming in for heavy criticism. World football chiefs were forced to roll back some prices due to the scale of negativity surrounding the vast sums being charged.
A small number of 'more affordable' tickets were made available for each game after an initial backlash. They were made available for 'loyal fans' to make up 10 per cent of each football association's allocation.
Pricing Breakdown
Group stage matches are priced based on popularity. England supporters are expected to pay more than those following Scotland, for example. Tickets to see England take on Croatia in June are set at £198, £373 or £523, Ghana tickets at £164, £320 and £447 and for the Panama clash are £164, £346 and £462.
Infantino appears to have scant concern over the pricing, however. Tickets for USA vs Paraguay start at $1,120 (£823) and go as high as $4,105 (£3,019) for the match in Los Angeles. In 2022, the most expensive World Cup final ticket was around $1,600 (£1,176), this year it stands at $11,000 (£8,091).
Infantino's Defence
“If some people put on the resale market, some tickets for the final at $2m, number one, it doesn’t mean that the tickets cost $2m,” Infantino said. “And number two, it doesn’t mean that somebody will buy these tickets. And if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2m, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience.
“We have to look at the market – we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates. In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at a price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.
“And as a matter of fact, even though some people are saying that the ticket prices we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double our price.”
Ticket Demand
Infantino noted that FIFA received more than 500 million ticket requests for 2026, compared with fewer than 50 million for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
“You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300,” Infantino continued. “And this is the World Cup.”
Criticism and Response
Before FIFA made more tickets available for a lower price, they faced widespread condemnation. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the introduction of affordable tickets but called upon FIFA to do more. He said: "As someone who used to save up for England tickets, I encourage FIFA to do more to make tickets more affordable so that the World Cup doesn't lose touch with the genuine supporters who make the game so special."
Tom Greatrex, chair of the Football Supporters Association, suggested it was a 'hollow gesture'. He added: "What sounds like a climbdown is a cynical attempt to deflect attention while continuing to rip fans off."
