Gianni Infantino, the President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), attributed the steep costs of World Cup match tickets to the fact that this tournament represents the organization’s sole means of revenue generation, according to L’Equipe.
“The World Cup is FIFA’s primary and, presently, its only stream of income. We accumulate revenue over a single month, and then we spend that money throughout the subsequent 47 months leading up to the next World Cup,” Infantino stated.
In early April, FIFA implemented a price hike for tickets across 40 of the 104 scheduled matches for the upcoming football World Cup. The premium “Category 1” tickets for the final on July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey now fetch $10,990. These same tickets were priced at $8,680 earlier this year, and $6,370 the previous year.
This ticket price escalation has provoked sharp condemnation from supporters. Euroconsumers, a consumer rights organization in Europe, collaborated with the fan association Football Supporters Europe to lodge a formal complaint with the European Commission, demanding price reductions.
Back in December 2025, Infantino had defended the pricing by citing high demand, while simultaneously assuring the public that the majority of earnings from hosting the World Cups are channeled toward global football development.
The World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the first time, this edition will feature 48 national teams.
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