Infantino Defends 2026 World Cup Ticket Price Surge

Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, defended the rising ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup during a speech at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on May 6. He stated that FIFA has little choice but to operate at market rates due to extraordinary demand, with FIFA receiving 500 million ticket requests for the upcoming tournament, a stark contrast to the fewer than 50 million requests for the combined 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Infantino highlighted that the final ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup are expected to reach around $11,000, compared to the face value of $1,600 for the 2022 final. He also mentioned that ticket prices for the group stage would remain below $300.

The discussion around ticket pricing has intensified, with fan groups and football supporters in Europe filing lawsuits against FIFA and calling for changes to its official resale platform.