FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the rising prices of World Cup tickets, asserting that the organization is compelled to leverage U.S. laws permitting the resale of tickets at significantly higher prices. Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Infantino stated that the high costs are a reflection of the demand for the World Cup.

Criticism from Fan Organizations

FIFA has faced intense backlash regarding ticket pricing, with the fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) labeling the pricing structure as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal.” In March, FSE took action by filing a lawsuit with the European Commission, challenging FIFA over what they deemed “excessive ticket prices” for the upcoming tournament. Recently, FIFA's resale platform, FIFA Marketplace, listed tickets for the July 19 final in New York at prices exceeding $2 million each.

Justification of Prices

Infantino emphasized that the exorbitant resale prices do not necessarily reflect the actual cost of tickets. “If some people put on the resale market, some tickets for the final at $2m, number one, it doesn’t mean that the tickets cost $2m,” he remarked. He also noted that the high demand is evident, with FIFA receiving over 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup, a stark contrast to the fewer than 50 million requests for both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Infantino pointed out that 25 percent of tickets for the group stage are priced under $300, arguing that attending a college game or a top professional match in the U.S. would cost at least that much.

Despite the criticism, Infantino remains firm in his stance that the price increases are justified by market conditions, stating, “We have to look at the market – we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world.” However, FIFA continues to face challenges in selling out games, including those hosted in the U.S.