FIFA World Cup tickets remain unsold as price drops are predicted

12 articles · Updated · DW (English) · May 7

With one month until the 2026 tournament, SeatPick says 72% of comparable resale listings were cheaper by late April, while nearly 80% of host-city hotel bookings trail forecasts.
Critics say FIFA's dynamic pricing and in-house resale platform, which takes 15% from buyers and sellers, have inflated prices and pushed fans toward secondary markets.
Visa hurdles and high air fares may limit attendance mainly to US, Mexican and Canadian fans, while Ontario has banned above-face-value resales and European consumer groups have challenged FIFA's approach.

Has FIFA become the world's biggest ticket scalper with its 30% resale fee?

Will sky-high prices make the 2026 World Cup a half-empty tournament?

Is this ticketing model damaging the World Cup's reputation for future generations?