The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is already accompanied by intense controversy. As soon as the first tickets went on sale, Fifa's official resale platform was singled out for its exorbitant prices. What was supposed to be a global celebration turned into an operation judged by many to be a real profit machine.
According to The Athleticprices soared in just a few hours. Tickets initially priced at a few hundred dollars are now priced at several thousand on the secondary market managed directly by Fifa. Some seats for the final at MetLife Stadium would even reach $25,000, including for modest categories located at the very top of the stands.
Behind this surge in prices lies a resale system which largely benefits the International Federation. Fifa indeed applies a double commission of 15%: levied on both the seller and the buyer. Concretely, for a ticket resold for 1,000 dollars, the seller only receives 850, while the buyer pays 1,150 dollars. Result: $300 profit per transaction for the global body.
2026 World Cup, Fifa explains
The organization justifies this practice by explaining that it wants
“guarantee a secure environment for fans”
And “reinvest revenues in the development of world football”. But this argument struggles to convince supporters, already faced with record prices on the primary market, the highest ever recorded for a World Cup.
Faced with growing anger, Fifa assures that imposing a price cap would have favored resale on third-party platforms. A defense which does not calm the critics: for many, the institution seems above all to have found a new source of income, eight months before a tournament already in the spotlight.
