World Cup Final Tickets Listed for $15.72 Million, Some Fans Considering Selling Property to Attend
The 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup is introducing changes, including FIFA's first official ticket resale platform for legitimate secondary market transactions. Recently, extremely high-priced tickets have appeared on the platform, with four tickets listed for $2,299,998.85 each (approximately 15.72 million RMB).
The high cost of attending has deterred many fans, with a 62-year-old retired teacher in the UK deciding to sell his property to raise funds for the live experience.
This World Cup has introduced dynamic pricing for the first time, with final category official ticket prices rising from $8,680 to $10,990, significantly higher than the $1,600 for the previous Qatar World Cup.
Combined with ticket applications far exceeding availability and a 15% commission on both sides of the resale platform, secondary market prices have further increased.
Beyond the tickets, the overall cost of attending has soared. Return transportation to the final venue has increased more than tenfold, and hotel and accommodation prices have doubled or even quadrupled, making it difficult for ordinary fans to afford.
The high expenses have led to complaints from many loyal fans, with a European fan organization filing a complaint with the EU accusing FIFA of abusing its pricing power, arguing that football is becoming distant from the general public.
In response to the controversy, FIFA stated that the World Cup is a core revenue source, with income used for global football development, and is expected to generate $11 billion in revenue this year.
Industry figures such as Guardiola have called for a balance between commercial interests and fans, believing that fans are at the heart of football.