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May 10, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

FIFA Chief Infantino Defends World Cup Ticket Prices

AI Summary
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, citing demand and US laws allowing resale at high prices. Fan groups have criticized the pricing as 'extortionate' and a 'monumental betrayal'.

The Controversy Over World Cup Ticket Prices

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended World Cup ticket prices, insisting that football’s global governing body was obliged to take advantage of laws in the United States that allow tickets to be resold for thousands of dollars above face value.

Infantino's Defense of High Ticket Prices

Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Infantino said the eye-watering prices reflected demand to watch the World Cup. FIFA has faced searing criticism over the cost of World Cup tickets, with fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) branding the pricing structure “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal”.

The Data Behind the Ticket Prices

  • FIFA’s own World Cup resale website, FIFA Marketplace, last week advertised four tickets to the July 19 final in New York at a cost of more than $2m each.
  • The most expensive ticket for the final in 2022 was about $1,600 at face value, while in 2026, the most expensive ticket for the final is about $11,000 at its original price.
  • FIFA received in excess of 500 million ticket requests for 2026, compared with fewer than 50 million combined for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
  • 25 percent of tickets for the group phase were priced at under $300.

The Impact on Fans and the Industry

Fan groups have contrasted the difference in price of tickets for this summer with the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Infantino was adamant that the steep increase in face-value prices was justified, citing market rates in the US.

The Future of World Cup Ticketing

However, FIFA has struggled to sell out games, including host nation USA’s opener against Paraguay. Seats remain available for most group-stage games, albeit at exorbitant prices. Tickets for USA vs Paraguay start at $1,120 and go as high as $4,105, with many tickets priced at about $2,000 for the June 12 match in Los Angeles.