How much tickets now cost for potential Messi vs Ronaldo showdown in 2026 World Cup quarter-final

A potential Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo showdown at the 2026 World Cup is edging closer to reality, and fans are already paying eye-watering prices in anticipation.

With Argentina and Portugal currently on course to finish top of their respective groups, the tournament bracket could set up a mouthwatering quarter-final meeting in Kansas City, likely the final competitive meeting between two of football's greatest-ever players.

How much are tickets for potential Argentina vs Portugal quarter-final?

The latest resale listings paint a remarkable picture.

As shown in the latest ticket map, the cheapest seats currently available at Arrowhead Stadium for the fixture are around $3,900 (£2,900), while many lower-tier tickets are already listed between $5,000 and $10,000.

Some premium central sections are being offered for more than $13,000 (£9,600).

Those figures are well above the current resale market starting price of around $2,000 that was being reported earlier in the tournament, highlighting just how quickly demand is rising as both teams continue progressing.

The quarter-final in Kansas City is already among the most expensive matches of the entire World Cup outside of the semi-finals and final, despite the fixture not yet being confirmed.

FGG says: The most expensive quarter-final football has ever seen?

If Argentina and Portugal both make it to Kansas City, these prices may look cheap in hindsight.

The prospect of Messi and Ronaldo sharing a pitch one final time, and at a World Cup, no less, is something football has never truly witnessed. It is the type of occasion that attracts not just football fans, but sports fans from around the world.

The problem, of course, is that it continues a trend that has dominated this World Cup – for ordinary supporters, attending many of the tournament's biggest matches is becoming increasingly unrealistic.

A Messi vs Ronaldo quarter-final would undoubtedly be historic, but as with most tickets at this World Cup, it certainly won't come cheap.