The FIFA World Cup final is finally set, with one of the biggest spectacles in sport set to pit Argentina and Spain against each other. However, the showdown appears to have already reached unprecedented heights off the field and on ticketing apps. According to ticketing app TickPick, this World Cup final is the most expensive sporting event in U.S. history based on average resale price.
“RECORD: The World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina is the MOST expensive sporting event on record at TickPick,” their X post read. “Current get-in price: $7,451. Average Purchase Price: $11,327.”
A single ticket to the final will run you $6,943 to just get in the door, down slightly from the $7,200 or so it cost before Argentina beat England Wednesday afternoon and booked their spot. The average purchase price, per TickPick, is $11,327, and that’s the highest number they’ve ever recorded – more than any other events like the Super Bowl and NBA Finals. And someone’s already paid more than that. As of Wednesday afternoon, the priciest sale on the books was two seats in MetLife Stadium’s Section 115A — $28,479 each, $56,958 for the pair.
The other three most expensive events by average price in the company’s history are Super Bowl LV in 2021 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs) at $7,313, Super Bowl LIV in 2020 (Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers) at $6,546, and 2026 NBA Finals Game 3 (New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs) at $6,308.
The increase is even more astounding when compared to the semifinals for the same tournament. The cheapest resale ticket for Argentina vs England was just over $2,600, whereas the cheapest resale ticket for France vs Spain was around $1,300. In just a few days, the cost of attending the final has nearly tripled compared to the most expensive semifinal and is more than five times that of the other.
There are a lot of reasons why the prices are so high. Argentina is looking to defend their title in what could be superstar Lionel Messi’s final World Cup, whereas Spain is chasing the trophy for the first time since 2010. This also marks the first finals matchup between the football powerhouses.
Ticket prices have fluctuated the entire tournament. After the US and Portugal lost to Belgium and Spain, respectively, in the Round of 16, the quarterfinal between the two sides dropped significantly from before the matchup was finalized, likely due to the much higher star power that the game would’ve featured with Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as the US being the home nation in this year’s World Cup.
