FIFA charges fans £60 to attend World Cup final press conference hosted by Rio Ferdinand

FIFA will charge fans £60 per head to attend a press conference featuring the finalists of the 2026 World Cup, hosted by former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand at the Javits Centre in New York City on Friday — two days before Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The event, organised in partnership with global sports retailer Fanatics — FIFA’s commercial partner — will give hundreds of paying fans the chance to hear directly from players and team representatives of both Argentina and Spain. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is also listed as a special guest.

A Fanatics promotional notice described the occasion as a “rare opportunity to see both finalists take the stage just days before the World Cup final.” The organisation has said the entry fee covers a broader festival spanning multiple sports, with athletes including LeBron James, Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, and Sir David Beckham among those taking part across the event.

Fans wishing to mark the occasion with an official photograph alongside Ferdinand face an additional charge of £100. The photo pricing scales depending on the athlete featured — a picture with former MLB star Alex Rodriguez, for instance, costs £239.

Ferdinand’s expanding role within FIFA’s promotional machinery has been a feature of this tournament. The 47-year-old hosted the draw for the expanded 48-team group stage in December and has been a visible presence for the governing body throughout the competition. He did not appear in the BBC or ITV pundit studios during the tournament, instead covering it through his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents.

Ferdinand is one of many former footballers who serves as a FIFA Legend — an ambassadorial role that involves representing the governing body at promotional events. His alignment with FIFA drew attention earlier in the tournament when he was among the few ex-players to publicly support the organisation’s handling of the Folarin Balogun eligibility ban, a position he later walked back.