Record-High Resale Prices for 2026 World Cup Final

Four Category 1 seats for the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, an 82,500-seat arena, in New Jersey are listed on FIFA’s resale platform at $2,299,998.85 each. Adjacent seats in the same section sell for $16,098. FIFA charges a 15 percent fee on both purchase and resale, potentially earning $600,000 per ticket.

New York Times

The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11. In the United States and Canada, resale tickets appear on a single FIFA-run marketplace; Mexico uses a separate platform that caps resale at face value for citizens. In April, FIFA added a “Front Category 1” tier, which observers say targets premium revenue.

New York Times

FIFA President Gianni Infantino called the market “very special,” stressed FIFA’s non-profit status and said all revenue funds football development in 211 countries. He also admitted he was unaware that U.S. resale was legal. A FIFA spokesperson said the resale platform follows standard practices, that facilitation fees match North American industry norms, and that variable pricing reflects broader sports-event trends.

New York Times

Fans and commentators have voiced “fierce criticism” of the $2 million price tags, citing long wait times, technical glitches and higher prices reported by The Athletic. Critics argue the new “Front Category 1” tier is designed to “milk more money,” contrasting with earlier caps that limited resale to face value. Infantino’s claim that all revenue is reinvested lacks quantification, leaving unclear how the $600,000 per-ticket fee is used and raising unanswered questions about market fairness.

New York Times

• “What many people don’t know, because of course we generate billions in a World Cup, people don’t know FIFA is a non-for profit organisation, which means all the revenue we generate, we invest them in the organisation of the game, in 211 countries all over the world,” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

New York Times

• “ A FIFA spokesperson told The Athletic: “FIFA has established a ticket sales and secondary market model that reflects standard ticket market practices for major sporting and entertainment events across the host countries.” — FIFA spokesperson

New York Times

• “FIFA’s variable pricing ticketing approach aligns with industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors, where price adaptations are made to optimise sales and attendance and ensure a fair market value for events.” — FIFA spokesperson

New York Times

The final is set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium. The pricing model is expected to attract ongoing public and media scrutiny, and U.S. and Canadian regulators may review the legality and fairness of the resale fees before the match.

New York Times