World Cup 2026 ticket prices: FIFA President Infantino defends

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the ticket pricing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles on May 5, 2026, arguing that elevated face-value levels reflect market conditions and extraordinary demand.

Infantino told the audience that FIFA had received roughly 500 million ticket requests in the latest sales window, a figure he cited to justify higher pricing tiers, and he pointed to U.S. resale rules that allow secondary-market listings at extreme prices as part of the broader context. He also downplayed headlines about multi-million dollar resale listings, saying a listing does not equal a sale.

Observers and supporter groups have pushed back, calling the structure exclusionary and criticising the scale of price increases compared with previous tournaments. Reporting has highlighted that some face-value tickets for the July 19, 2026 final in New Jersey were set at roughly $11,000 at top tiers, while certain resale adverts have cited figures in the millions, prompting fan organisations to lodge complaints with regulators.

Infantino argued the U.S. is a “very special market” for live entertainment, noting that comparable events in the country command high prices, and said FIFA offers a range of price bands — including cheaper allocations for group-stage matches — while defending FIFA's share from resale activity. His remarks echoed FIFA's acceptance of dynamic pricing models and market-based approaches to ticketing.

Market analysts and fan representatives say the controversy could spur closer regulatory scrutiny in Europe and increased attention on transparency from FIFA. In the near term, the interaction between official sales channels, secondary-market behaviour and potential interventions by consumer protection authorities will likely determine whether the current pricing model is adjusted before the tournament begins.