Beverly Hills, USA – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the unprecedented cost of tickets for the 2026 World Cup, arguing that the global governing body must align with “market rates” in the United States.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Wednesday, Infantino insisted that the steep pricing is a necessary response to a market where entertainment is highly developed and ticket reselling is legally permitted.
The price disparity between the 2022 and 2026 tournaments has sparked outrage among fan groups. In 2022, the most expensive face-value ticket for the final in Qatar was approximately $1,600 (₦2.2 million). For the 2026 final in New York, that figure has surged to $11,000 (₦15.1 million).
Okay News reports that on the “FIFA Marketplace” secondary site, some tickets for the final have even been listed for as much as $2 million (₦2.75 billion)—a figure Infantino dismissed as a resale anomaly, joking that he would “personally bring a hot dog and a Coke” to anyone who actually pays that amount.
Fan organisations, including Football Supporters Europe (FSE), have labelled the pricing “extortionate,” filing a lawsuit with the European Commission in March 2026. Despite the “last-minute sales” currently available on FIFA’s website, several group-stage matches have yet to sell out. For instance, tickets for the USA vs. Paraguay opener on June 12 are currently priced between $1,120 (₦1.54 million) and $4,105 (₦5.64 million), with premium hospitality seats reaching $6,050 (₦8.3 million).
Infantino countered the criticism by revealing that FIFA has received over 500 million ticket requests, a massive increase from the combined 50 million for 2018 and 2022. He argued that selling tickets too low would only enrich scalpers in the American “resale market.” This “Absolute Clarity” on profit maximisation comes at a time of significant global tension, with President Trump recently pausing “Project Freedom” as peace talks with Iran advance.
