By Liberty Nicholson Hulse
The 2026 World Cup is set to be the biggest in football history. Hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament will feature more teams, more matches and bigger stadiums than ever before.
However, it is already being overshadowed by controversy over ticket prices, with US President Donald Trump saying he “wouldn’t pay” to attend.
FIFA’s ticketing strategy for 2026 has sparked widespread criticism, with fans accusing football’s governing body of turning the World Cup into a luxury experience aimed at VIP guests and wealthy tourists rather than ordinary supporters.
Higher costs under new pricing model
Ticket prices for the competition have surged dramatically compared to previous World Cups, sparking accusations that football’s governing body is prioritising profit over accessibility.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, FIFA is using dynamic pricing – which is a system commonly seen in American sports and concerts where ticket prices constantly fluctuate depending on demand.
Under the new system, supporters can see prices rise sharply within hours.
The result has been staggering costs for some matches.
The concerns extend beyond tickets alone. Fans travelling across North America will also face soaring accommodation and transport costs, particularly in host cities expected to see huge demand during the month-long tournament.
For many supporters, attending even a single match could now cost several thousand pounds.
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Trump criticism
The backlash intensified after reports emerged that some supporters could face paying around $1,000 (£736) to attend the United States’ opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Even US President Donald Trump appeared stunned by the figure.
“I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you,” Trump told the New York Post.
His comments quickly resonated with supporters already frustrated by FIFA’s pricing model.
Trump also suggested the tournament risked pricing out ordinary Americans, saying he would be disappointed if “people from Queens and Brooklyn” and many of those who voted for him could not afford to attend.
The remarks came just a day after FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the prices at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, arguing that demand for tickets had been “absolutely crazy”.
According to FIFA, six to seven million tickets have been made available, but the organisation received around 150 million ticket requests within just 15 days.
Infantino insists the prices simply reflect unprecedented demand.
Soaring resale prices
Controversy has also surrounded FIFA’s official resale platform, particularly as the organisation continues to profit heavily from resale transactions.
FIFA takes a 15 per cent cut from both the buyer and seller, while resale prices for some matches have climbed to extraordinary levels.
For England’s opening match against Croatia, the cheapest resale tickets were listed at almost $900 (£628), more than three times their original face value.
The small number of more affordable tickets originally sold by FIFA for around $60 (£45) have appeared online for more than $2,000, while prices for certain matches have reportedly climbed as high as $17,250 (£13,110).
With prices continuing to rise, many fans are left with a simple concern that the World Cup may be getting bigger, but is also moving further out of reach.
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