Four tickets for the World Cup final have been listed for nearly $2.3 million each on FIFA’s resale site, sparking outrage among fans. The seats for the 19 July match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey are located behind a goal in the lower deck.
FIFA’s Resale Marketplace Fees
FIFA does not control the asking prices on its Resale/Exchange Marketplace but takes a 15% purchase fee from the buyer and a 15% resale fee from the seller. If one ticket sells at $2.3 million, FIFA would earn $690,000 in fees.
Other High-Priced Listings
Another lower-deck seat, listed as easy access standard, was priced at $207,000. A category two seat in the last row of the uppermost third deck was listed at $138,000, while a nearby seat had an asking price of $23,000. The cheapest tickets for the final on Thursday were $10,923.85 for four seats near the top of the upper deck behind a goal.
FIFA’s Direct Ticket Sales
FIFA put new blocks of tickets on sale Wednesday on its direct site, with final tickets costing $10,990. In January, the most expensive resale ticket for the final was $230,000.
Comparison to Past World Cups
At previous tournaments, resale tickets were capped at face value. For the 2022 World Cup, FIFA charged a lower fee: the greater of 5% or $0.50. For this tournament, citing the loosely regulated secondary market in the US and Canada, FIFA opted not to cap resale prices, claiming it would discourage scalpers from using third-party sites like StubHub.
Other Match Ticket Prices
Tickets for the semi-finals were available from FIFA at $11,130 for the 14 July match in Arlington, Texas, and $9,660 and $4,360 for the 15 July match in Atlanta. For the US opener against Paraguay on 12 June in Los Angeles, prices ranged from $1,940 to $4,105. The US second match against Australia on 19 June in Seattle cost $2,715, while the group finale against Turkey on 25 June in LA cost $2,970 and $1,345. Canada’s opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 June in Toronto was available for $3,360, $2,240, $1,645, and $980. No tickets were listed for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on 11 June.
Quarter-final tickets ranged from $1,610 to $5,730 depending on the match. The third-place game in Miami Gardens on 18 July had tickets for $1,125.
