Ticket sales for the United States men's national team's opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are significantly underperforming compared to other fixtures scheduled at the same venue, with recently disclosed figures highlighting a notable lack of fan interest. According to a document dated April 10, which was obtained by The Athletic and distributed to local organisers, only 40,934 tickets had been sold for the USA versus Paraguay clash as of that date.
Comparative Sales Figures Reveal Stark Disparities
The match, set to take place on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, is being outsold by multiple other games scheduled in the same arena. For instance, the Iran versus New Zealand encounter, which is scheduled just three days later, has sold nearly 10,000 more tickets, with a reported sale of 50,661. FIFA lists the stadium's capacity at 69,650, indicating that both matches have considerable room for further sales, but the US opener is clearly struggling to attract buyers.
Additional Matches Also Outperform US Fixtures
Further compounding the issue, The Athletic reports that fewer than 40,000 tickets had been purchased for the United States' final group stage match against Turkiye, also held at SoFi Stadium. In contrast, other matches such as Bosnia and Herzegovina versus Switzerland have sold around 47,000 tickets, while Iran's game against Belgium has surpassed the 50,000 mark. These figures underscore a broader trend of lukewarm interest in the US team's early tournament appearances.
Exorbitant Ticket Prices Blamed for Low Demand
The primary factor driving fans away from the opening match appears to be FIFA's steep ticket pricing. Category 1 tickets are being sold for a staggering $2,730 each, Category 2 tickets cost $1,940 per seat, and even the majority upper-bowl Category 3 tickets command an inexplicable $1,120. There is no indication from FIFA that these prices will be reduced in the near future, with president Gianni Infantino showing no signs of implementing a price drop.
FIFA's Ticket Rollout Strategy Under Scrutiny
FIFA has been gradually releasing tickets through its official platform for the World Cup, with Infantino claiming that approximately 5 million of an estimated 6.7 million available tickets have been sold. He explained that this approach was intentional, aiming to reserve "a few [tickets] for continuous sale until the start of the tournament to give opportunities to latecomers." However, this strategy has not mitigated the high costs, and on FIFA's own resale platform, previous buyers are already listing tickets to the opening match at prices below face value, suggesting a lack of confidence in demand.
US Team's Recent Performance May Influence Sales
The United States men's national team has faced challenges in its recent performances, which could be contributing to the sluggish ticket sales. The team lost its last two matches in March, falling to Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta. These defeats may have dampened fan enthusiasm, making the high ticket prices even less palatable for potential attendees.
In summary, the combination of FIFA's exorbitant pricing, the US team's recent struggles, and more attractive alternative matches at SoFi Stadium has resulted in disappointing ticket sales for the US opener. As the tournament approaches, it remains to be seen whether late sales or price adjustments will boost interest, but for now, fans are clearly voting with their wallets, opting for other fixtures over the home team's initial game.
