Overview
- FIFA released another batch of World Cup tickets, and independent trackers such as TicketData report recent declines in the cheapest resale listings for most games, including the U.S. opener now below $1,000.
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the pricing model at a Beverly Hills conference, citing over 500 million ticket requests and saying a quarter of group‑stage seats are under $300.
- Infantino argued prices reflect U.S. entertainment norms and joked he would bring a hot dog and a Coke to anyone who buys a $2 million final ticket, after extreme listings appeared on FIFA’s own marketplace.
- President Donald Trump criticized roughly $1,000 entry prices for the U.S. opener and said he would not pay it, voicing concern that working‑class fans could be shut out.
- Resale pressures remain a flashpoint, with FIFA charging 15% fees to both buyer and seller and past listings near $2.3 million for final seats, while Ontario forced face‑value‑only resales for Toronto matches and U.S. host cities report high travel and transit costs that add to fans’ bills.