Revealed: FIFA chiefs rejected ‘US-based staff’ push for fairer 2026 World Cup ticket pricing

A number of FIFA’s US-based staff advised against the use of dynamic pricing for the 2026 World Cup, warning it could push tickets beyond the reach of ordinary supporters.

They were ultimately overruled by FIFA’s senior leadership, according to multiple sources involved in delivering the tournament.

Why FIFA rejected US staff concerns over ticket pricing

Staff working from FIFA’s Miami office reportedly argued for a more accessible ticketing model, particularly in general admission areas, with a focus on keeping entry-level prices affordable.

Their preference was for a more traditional pricing structure rather than dynamic pricing, where costs fluctuate based on demand and can rise sharply as interest increases.

However, FIFA is understood to have judged that the 2026 World Cup represented a once-in-a-generation commercial opportunity, with demand expected to be exceptionally high across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The decision was ultimately approved by FIFA’s executive committee, though it remains unclear whether it was directly driven by the FIFA president’s office.

The original 2018 bid documentation submitted by the three host nations had noted that dynamic pricing was not part of the initial plan, and that FIFA had previously discouraged steep pricing for premium seats.

FIFA has projected around £8.3bn ($11bn) in revenue from the tournament, with roughly £2.3bn ($3bn) expected from ticket sales.

Prices are reported to range from around £45 ($60) in the group stage to as high as £5,967 ($7,875) for the final, with resale listings in the US reportedly reaching above £21,597 ($28,000).

Despite this, FIFA has recorded near-capacity attendances, with crowd levels at around 99% across early matches.

FIFA insists all departments were aligned on the pricing strategy and denies that alternative models were formally presented.

The contentious FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously argued that lower prices would simply fuel secondary markets and push resale prices even higher.

FGG Says: Football always claims to belong to the people, but pricing like this makes that harder to believe.

That argument becomes harder to defend in a system where ticket prices are driven by how much money can be extracted rather than who should realistically be able to attend.

At some point, the already controversial World Cup stops feeling like a shared global event and starts looking like something carefully controlled instead.