Gianni Infantino has defended the steep cost of World Cup tickets, arguing that global demand and US resale laws have driven prices to extraordinary levels.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, May 6, the FIFA president insisted football’s governing body had little choice but to operate at market rates.
The debate intensified after fan group Football Supporters Europe described the pricing structure as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal”.
The group has already filed a lawsuit with the European Commission over what it calls “excessive ticket prices”. On FIFA’s official resale platform, four tickets for the 19 July final in New York were recently listed for more than $2 million each.
Infantino pushed back strongly against the criticism. “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.”
He added: “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.”
Supporters’ groups have highlighted the sharp contrast with the FIFA World Cup 2022, where the most expensive final ticket cost about $1,600 at face value. For 2026, the top face-value price for the final is expected to be around $11,000.
Infantino argued the rise reflects the scale of the US entertainment market and strong demand, noting FIFA received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 tournament, compared with fewer than 50 million combined for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
“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 for market rates,” he said.
“In the US it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.”
He also stressed that a quarter of group-stage tickets were priced below $300. “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,” he said. “And this is the World Cup.”
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