Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have surged dramatically on FIFA’s official resale platform, with some seats now listed at several times their original face value, sparking outrage among football fans worldwide.

The spike comes just weeks after FIFA President Gianni Infantino warned that tickets appearing on resale platforms could attract exorbitant prices.

Checks on the resale platform as of Wednesday showed staggering markups across several matches.

A “category three” seat located in the highest section of the stands for the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11 was listed at $5,324, compared to its original price of $895.

Even more striking was the resale price of a category three ticket for the World Cup final scheduled for July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The seat was advertised for $143,750, more than 41 times its face value of $3,450.

The cheapest available ticket for the final on the platform was listed at $9,775.

Despite the overall surge, a few tickets have seen price reductions.

One ticket for Austria’s group-stage match against Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California was listed at $552, lower than the original purchase price of $620.

For many supporters, the soaring prices confirm long-standing fears about speculative buying and resale practices.

“These exorbitant prices, unfortunately, don’t surprise me. It reflects what we know and what we fight against: many people buy to resell,” said Guillaume Aupretre, spokesperson for France supporters’ group Irresistibles Francais in a statement on Wednesday.

“In the end, who pays the price? The passionate fans who end up with outrageous offers. We would prefer that this benefit real fans who come to support their team, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

Naija News understands that despite the eye-watering costs, demand remains high, with FIFA reporting about 500 million ticket requests globally.

While the resale platform is officially endorsed by FIFA, the organisation clarified that it merely facilitates transactions between fans and does not set the resale prices.

FIFA said it charges a 15 per cent service fee while resellers determine the cost of their tickets.

“Generally speaking, the pricing model adopted for FIFA World Cup 26 reflects the existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events within our hosts on a daily basis, soccer included,” FIFA said in a statement.

“This is also a reflection of the treatment of the secondary market for tickets, which has a distinct legal treatment than in many other parts of the world. We are focused on ensuring fair access to our game for existing but also prospective fans.”

Legal Gaps And Pricing Controversy

The resale market remains largely unregulated in the United States and Canada, while Mexico prohibits resale above face value only when tickets are purchased locally using its currency.

Ticket pricing has become one of the most controversial aspects of the upcoming tournament, with advocacy groups such as Football Supporters Europe accusing FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” over escalating costs.

In response, FIFA introduced a limited allocation of tickets priced at $60 for official supporters’ groups, though critics say the measure does not go far enough.

FIFA has continued notifying applicants since February 5 on the outcome of the second ticket sales phase, which ended in January.

A final ‘last-minute’ sales window will run from April until the end of the competition on a first-come, first-served basis.

The football governing body said it applies a “variable pricing” approach during sales phases, meaning prices fluctuate based on demand and availability, but stressed that it does not use a fully automated dynamic pricing model.