If you want to sit live in the stadium at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer, you'll need a big wallet. Ticket prices will explode once the World Cup qualifiers are over.
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- Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are being traded on the official FIFA resale platform, sometimes at astronomical prices - up to one million dollars for a semi-final.
- FIFA allows free resale without price caps and charges buyers and sellers 15 percent fees - even in the case of highly inflated prices.
- In cities such as New York, criticism of the price explosion is growing; local politicians are calling for measures to ensure that local fans are not excluded.
The Swiss national team has confidently qualified for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the USA. But for many Nati fans who want to experience the World Cup matches live on site, the anticipation could quickly evaporate. This is because ticket prices on the FIFA resale platform are soaring.
Offers of almost 100,000 dollars are already appearing for the opening match in Mexico alone. For a semi-final ticket, someone is even trying to demand almost a million dollars, according to research by "Eurovision News Spotlight".
It has long been normal for World Cup tickets to be resold. What is new, however, is that FIFA no longer sets any limits on its own platform. Anyone who owns a ticket can freely determine the price. At the same time, some original tickets are priced variably for the first time - they can therefore become more expensive or cheaper depending on demand.
Official tickets are available from around 60 dollars. On the secondary market, even such seats are now being offered for several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars.
FIFA makes a profit
Particularly tricky: FIFA collects a hefty fee when tickets are resold. Both the seller and the buyer must each pay 15 percent. With a resale price of 100 dollars, this means that the seller only receives 85 dollars, the buyer pays 115 dollars - and the world association pockets 30 dollars.
FIFA justifies the model by referring to international standards in the sports and entertainment sector. Such systems are common in North America. In Mexico, on the other hand, excessive secondary market prices are prohibited by law. However, according to observers, the platform is also used there to offer tickets for significantly more than the original price - without any visible intervention.
Criticism from politicians
Prices are exploding particularly sharply in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles. This is now also attracting the attention of politicians. New York's newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani has launched a petition to stop the price trend. He warned during the election campaign that the "biggest sporting event in the world" would take place on their doorstep - but would be unaffordable for many residents.
