Fifa boss Infantino defends 2026 World Cup ticket prices, citing demand
Fifa boss Gianni Infantino has defended the price of tickets for next year’s World Cup.
Football’s governing body has come under intense pressure surrounding the cost of tickets, with the cheapest seat at next summer’s final costing over £3,000.
Infantino’s Fifa was forced to introduce capped tickets for some fans of the teams competing at next year’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
But the Donald Trump ally has defended the cost of tickets to attend the showpiece football event, saying the cost of being there reflects the “absolutely crazy” demand for tickets.
“We have six to seven million tickets on sale and in 15 days we received 150m ticket requests,” Infantino told the World Sports Summit in Dubai on Monday.
“So 10m ticket requests every single day. It shows how powerful the World Cup is.
“In the almost 100 years of the World Cup, Fifa has sold 44m tickets in total. So, in two weeks we could have filled 300 years of World Cups. Imagine that. This is absolutely crazy.”
World Cup ticket costs
Tickets to watch the group stages are three times higher in cost than the previous edition, in Qatar. And the Football Supporters’ Association has described the ticketing for 2026 as “scandalous”.
Fans following Scotland, who reached their first World Cup since 1998, have been offered travel plans to watch their team across the pond by Qatar Airways Holidays with prices starting at £8,000.
Tartan Army boss Steve Clarke urged Scotland fans not to rack up debt to follow the team in Massachusetts and Miami, where they’ll play their three group games.
England take on Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Arlington, Massachusetts and New Jersey respectively; while Wales and Northern Ireland can each still qualify for the expanded tournament should they win their play-off matches.