FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has defended the sharp rise in World Cup ticket prices, arguing that football’s global governing body is required to operate within United States regulations that permit tickets to be resold at extremely high mark-ups.
The pricing system has drawn strong backlash from fans, with supporter group Football Supporters Europe describing it as “extortionate” and accusing FIFA of a “monumental betrayal”.
The group went further in March, filing a complaint with the European Commission over what it called excessive ticket pricing for the tournament.
Controversy intensified after FIFA’s official resale platform, FIFA Marketplace, listed four tickets for the July 19 World Cup final in New York at more than $2 million each.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Infantino pushed back against criticism, saying the figures reflect market demand rather than official pricing.
“If some people put on the resale market, some tickets for the final at $2 million, number one, it doesn’t mean that the tickets cost $2 million,” he said.
“And number two, it doesn’t mean that somebody will buy these tickets,” Infantino said.
He also added that he would personally ensure that any high-paying fan gets a memorable experience.
“And if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2 million, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience.”
Reports have highlighted a stark contrast between current pricing and previous tournaments.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the most expensive final ticket was around $1,600 at face value, while for the 2026 edition, top-tier final tickets are priced at roughly $11,000.
Infantino defended the increase, insisting FIFA must align with market conditions, particularly in the United States.
“We have to look at the market — we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates,” he stated.
“In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at a price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.
“And as a matter of fact, even though some people are saying that the ticket prices we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double our price.”
Infantino also revealed the scale of global demand for the tournament, saying FIFA had received over 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup, a dramatic increase compared to under 50 million combined for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
He further argued that while prices are higher than before, they remain competitive when compared with other sporting events in the United States.
“You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300,” Infantino said. “And this is the World Cup.”
