Tickets for the 2026 World Cup may be sold at sky-high prices! British media: FIFA may launch dynamic pricing strategies

May 21, The Times reported that FIFA will adopt dynamic pricing for 2026 World Cup tickets. FIFA plans to adopt a controversial dynamic pricing strategy for the 2026 World Cup, which means tickets for high demand games such as the finals can reach thousands of pounds. The pricing system will float prices based on demand, and the Club World Cup has been launched first this summer.

Authoritative sources revealed to the Times that millions of World Cup tickets sold to the public will also adopt this mechanism. It is reported that the tickets allocated to the three participating countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico (for official fan clubs) are not subject to dynamic pricing.

Dynamic pricing has caused public opinion turmoil in the UK, and Oasis used the system for sold-out tours without warning. However, in this year's Club World Cup held in the United States, the system actually prompted price cuts and promotions due to the unsalable ticket sales of FIFA's many games.

FIFA refused to confirm the specific plan of the World Cup. The spokesperson said: "Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are expected to be sold through the official website in the third quarter of 2025, and the details will be announced in a timely manner."

Any high-priced ticket sales may put FIFA on charges of exploiting fans and excluding ordinary audiences. The 48 teams this year are expected to sell about 6.5 million tickets in 104 games. After the NFL Super Bowl adopts dynamic pricing, the average ticket price this year is $6,900 (about £5,150), and $8,000 (£6,000) in 2024, generating more than $500 million. If similar pricing is adopted next year's World Cup final, FIFA will earn huge profits. Sources revealed that FIFA will monopolize the ticket revenue of all departments, and the venue and the local organizing committee will not participate in the sharing of the shares. FIFA insiders say dynamic pricing is a routine operation of entertainment activities in the United States and organizers may have no choice. But this raises questions: Will the same policies apply to co-sponsors Mexico and Canada? When the three countries jointly bid in 2018, the estimated ticket revenue of US$1.8 billion (about £1.35 billion) was called a "conservative forecast."

The ticket quota for each participating football association has not yet been determined. During the Qatar World Cup, the number of votes assigned to the English team in the group stage was between 2339 and 4158, depending on the size of the court.