For many soccer fans, attending a World Cup game is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the greatest nations and players on earth compete for the most coveted trophy in sport. For the first time since 1994, the tournament is on United States soil, and for the first time ever, it is being hosted by three countries, with Canada and Mexico joining the U.S.
For such a monumental event, you would expect tickets to be at least reasonable, especially with fans traveling from dozens of countries to take in the magic of the World Cup.
However, in 2026, the prices are nothing short of absurd. Tickets start at $120 and reach as high as $10,990, with most ranging well into the thousands.
Soccer was born as a game for people of all classes to play and enjoy. Now the passion, tradition and joy of the sport is being eroded by the greed of FIFA and its federations.
In 1994, tickets started at $25, with the World Cup final topping out at $475. Adjusted for inflation, those figures would be roughly $53 and $1,000 today. In other words, what the most expensive ticket cost in 1994 is now barely the starting price for most matches in 2026.
USMNT winger Timothy Weah has been among the most vocal critics. Speaking to the New York Times, he didn’t hold back.
“It is too expensive. Football should still be enjoyed by everyone. It is the most popular sport,” Weah said. “This World Cup will be good, but it will be more of a show. I am just a bit disappointed by the ticket prices. Lots of real fans will miss matches.”
And he is right. Not accounting for hotels, flights and transportation, attending a single World Cup game could easily cost a fan around $5,000. That is not a premium. That is a barrier.
With many venues boasting capacities of 100,000 or more, there is no justification for pricing at this level. It risks hollowing out the atmosphere that makes the World Cup what it is, replacing passionate supporters with corporate guests and wealthy tourists.
FIFA has pushed back on the criticism. In a SportsBusiness Journal article, President Gianni Infantino defended the prices, pointing to strong demand and the revenue the tournament generates. A FIFA spokesperson elaborated in an interview with the New York Times.
“What FIFA is doing is adapting to the domestic market,” the spokesperson said. “And it’s a reality in the U.S. and Canada that events are being priced as per the demand that is coming in for that event.”
Nobody is disputing that FIFA has financial obligations to meet. But charging the majority of fans close to $1,000 just to get through the door is excessive, particularly for countries that may not host the World Cup again for another 30 years.
The World Cup belongs to the world. Yet this is the tournament every player dreams of playing in and every fan dreams of attending, and the love, passion and beauty of the game is being crowded out by greed. For too many fans, a dream they have carried their whole lives will have to wait another lifetime.