FIFA under US investigation as World Cup 2026 tickets reach record prices

FIFA will sell tickets for the 2026 World Cup – hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada – directly for the first time, using dynamic pricing and assigning seats after purchase. Average group‑stage tickets cost about $200, while the cheapest final‑stage ticket is $2,030, more than double the inflation‑adjusted price in Qatar 2022. The organization also charges a 15% commission to both sellers and buyers on its resale platform, and has sold “Right‑to‑Buy” crypto tokens for ticket rights.

Prosecutors in New York and New Jersey have opened criminal investigations into FIFA’s ticketing practices, accusing the body of creating artificial scarcity and operating an unregulated secondary market. California has also issued a subpoena. Critics point to lack of transparency about the number of tickets available and to cases where seats were re‑classified after purchase.

FIFA projects ticket and VIP‑experience revenues of up to $3 billion, part of an overall tournament forecast of roughly $9 billion. Resale prices have already hit record levels, with a VIP ticket for a Spain‑Uruguay match listed for over €17,000. The high costs have sparked fan backlash and raised questions about the commercial direction of the sport.