Fans hoping to secure their place at the FIFA World Cup this June have been left stunned by soaring ticket prices. Early indications suggested the final would remain affordable, giving supporters hope they could attend without breaking the bank. But when tickets went on open sale, the top price skyrocketed to $10,990, leaving many fans feeling shut out of the event they had long dreamed of witnessing.

That price hike came when FIFA launched its “last‑minute sales phase” on April 1. This was the fifth ticket window, aimed at fans who could not secure tickets in earlier rounds through lotteries, supporter club offers, and random draws. Unlike those earlier rounds, this phase let fans choose specific seats, but it also looked very different from the promise made by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in their original bid book.

When the three countries won the right to host, their bid book said tickets for the final would cost no more than about $1,550. That figure now looks far too low compared with the current pricing. As each sales phase passed, prices climbed, and so did the feeling that fans’ expectations had been broken.

When ticket sales began, Category 1 final tickets started at around $6,370. By the December supporter‑club sale, the highest‑priced seats had risen to $8,680. In the latest round, the top price reached $10,990. When fans compare this with past tournaments, the jump becomes even harder to explain.

In the 2022 World Cup final, the highest ticket price stood at about $1,600, much lower than the nearly $11,000 now seen for the 2026 final. Even the mid‑level tickets in the most recent sale have climbed well above their earlier levels.

Like the category 2 tickets now sit near $7,380 that is up from about $5,575 in December. Category 3 tickets are around $5,785 that is up from about $4,185.  And price isn’t the only complaint fans have had!

The launch of this final sales phase was also plagued by technical problems. Now, after this last window, supporters are left feeling shut out with the dream of attending the World Cup feeling farther away than ever.

Fans slam FIFA’s 2026 World Cup ticketing nightmare

“Six hours in a queue to buy World Cup tickets and then I get booted out of the page. #FIFAWorldCup ticket sales are an absolute joke. You keep ruining the game every possible way,” one fan vented online.

This frustration was understandable. With the last-minute sales period being launched, several of these enthusiasts who attempted to purchase tickets were placed in the wrong line. They were not able to go to the main sale but got into a line of fans of late-qualifying teams.

Individuals who logged in around 11 a.m. EST suddenly found themselves stuck in the PMA late qualifier supporters sales phase, which applied to six countries that had secured their slots just the previous day.

Even 90 minutes later, the system was still keeping some fans trapped in the queue without explanation. Around noon, FIFA confirmed that it had corrected the links but did not apologize for the time fans had already lost.

Another fan shared their experience after a second attempt: “I just received this after waiting another four hours. This is ridiculous. I give up.” Along with their post, they shared a screenshot showing three boxes. Red box: “The page you are trying to access does not exist. Please return to the main portal and try again.”

Blue box: “Thank you for your interest in purchasing FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets. This queue will automatically reset at 3 a.m. Eastern Time.” Another box, “Link below: “CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE TICKET-INCLUSIVE HOSPITALITY PACKAGES.”

Seeing a link to expensive hospitality packages instead of actual tickets only made the experience feel more unfair, prompting another fan to write, “This just sucks!!!” To most people, it was not only the glitches but the seeming inability of the system to deal with the demand. One fan said, “FIFA should be ashamed of this entire process from start to finish. They won’t be, but they should be.”

Another summed it up by saying, “Glitches and ticket price made it the worst experience,” while someone else declared, “I am not buying now.”

Much of the frustration stems from FIFA’s dynamic pricing system for the 2026 World Cup, where ticket prices fluctuate based on demand and remaining supply. Critics say the system has made prices unpredictable and far higher than fans expect. It’s not only individual supporters raising concerns. Even a representative of the Football Supporters Association told the Press Association:

“This is the most expensive World Cup in history for travelling supporters, from match tickets to travel and accommodation. It isn’t just an issue for English fans but for those across the planet. FIFA’s ridiculous ticket pricing and opaque policies have led many fans to conclude they simply can’t afford to attend football’s greatest global event.”

The use of dynamic pricing has even drawn political attention. In March, 69 members of the US Congress, all Democrats, wrote to FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

“The employment of dynamic ticket pricing… contrasts with FIFA’s core mission… Despite host cities’ cooperation in bringing the vision of the largest, most global World Cup in history to fruition, the consequences of dynamic pricing will make the 2026 FWC the most financially exclusionary and inaccessible to date.”

FIFA, in its turn, has cited the huge demand for tickets as a sign of interest in the tournament. In January, President Infantino told FIFA that FIFA received what was equivalent to “the request for 1,000 years of World Cups at once.”

As the tournament kicks off on 11 June, fans who feel priced out by the ticketing system.