Record FIFA prices leave World Cup 2026 tickets scarce as tournament opens Thursday

FIFA’s record-high ticket prices have defined the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, which opens on Thursday across 16 host stadiums in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The governing body’s dynamic pricing model has driven repeated increases since last autumn, with some seats now reaching five figures and widespread criticism greeting the tournament’s arrival.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the costs on Wednesday, arguing they are appropriate for the North American market. “There are always tickets on sale,” he said, noting that the organisation retains seats to release once teams qualify for later rounds.

What is still available

As of the eve of the tournament, 29 matches are sold out — though some wheelchair-accessible seats remain for those fixtures — while 75 games still have tickets on sale. Available inventory includes both semifinals, all four quarterfinals, five round-of-16 matches, and 14 of the 16 newly introduced round-of-32 fixtures. Additional knockout-stage tickets will be released once participating teams are confirmed.

A significant share of remaining seats sit in the higher-priced Category 1 and Category 2 tiers introduced by FIFA in April. For the semifinal in Arlington, Texas, several hundred four-figure seats were still listed; the Atlanta semifinal, by contrast, had just over 20 tickets remaining on FIFA’s official platform.

Cheap seats are almost gone

Category 3 seats — the lowest-priced tier — were available for only three matches. For the United States opener against Paraguay on Thursday in Inglewood, California, two Category 3 tickets remained at $1,120, with other available prices ranging from $1,645 to $4,105, and more than 100 total tickets listed. Canada’s opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on Thursday had Category 3 seats at $980, alongside options at $1,645 and $2,240.

The most affordable remaining tickets in the tournament were Category 3 seats priced at $180 for Egypt vs. Iran in Seattle on 26 June, with more than 370 still on sale. Several hundred additional tickets for that match were listed at $550, $875, and $1,000.

Resale options

FIFA operates its own resale marketplace, taking a 15% fee from both buyer and seller. Prices on the secondary market reflect the same upward pressure seen on primary sales, though availability there fluctuates as match days approach.