Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing of World Cup tickets, saying football’s global governing body must take advantage of United States laws that permit tickets to be resold for far more than their face value.
The governing body has come under fire from fan organisations, with Football Supporters Europe (FSE) labelling the price structure “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal”. FSE filed a complaint with the European Commission in March, accusing Fifa of charging excessive ticket prices for the tournament.
Fifa’s official resale platform recently listed four tickets to the final at $2.3 million each. Although Fifa does not set the asking prices on that site, it collects a 15 % purchase fee from the buyer and a 15 % resale fee from the seller. If one of those $2.3 million tickets were sold, Fifa would receive $690 000 in fees.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Infantino said the high prices reflect demand to watch the World Cup. “If some people put tickets for the final on the resale market at $2 million, that does not mean the tickets actually cost $2 million,” he said. “Nor does it mean someone will buy them. And if a fan does pay $2 million for a final ticket, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure he has a great experience.”
Fan groups have pointed out the contrast with the Qatar 2022 tournament, where the most expensive face‑value final ticket was about $1 600, whereas for 2026 the top face‑value final ticket is roughly $11 000.
Infantino insisted the increase in face‑value prices is justified. “We have to look at the market – entertainment is the most developed sector globally, so we must apply market rates,” he said. “In the United States it is legal to resell tickets. If we priced them too low, they would simply be resold at a much higher price. In fact, even though some say our prices are high, they still appear on the resale market at more than double what we charge.”
He added that Fifa has received over 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup, compared with fewer than 50 million combined for the 2018 and 2022 editions. Infantino noted that 25 % of group‑phase tickets will be priced under $300. “You cannot attend a college game in the US, let alone a top‑level professional match, for less than $300,” he said. “And this is the World Cup.”
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