The day before the biggest sporting event on the planet kicks off, FIFA’s president stood behind a podium in Mexico City and told everyone upset about ticket prices to basically relax.
Gianni Infantino held a press conference on June 10, defending the pricing structure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where final tickets have ballooned to as much as $32,970 thanks to dynamic pricing. His advice to critics? “Chill and relax.”
The price of the beautiful game
Entry-level group-stage tickets start at $140. Initial pricing for the final ranged from $6,730 to $8,680. Dynamic pricing pushed premium final tickets to $32,970.
Infantino’s defense leaned on the lower end of the spectrum. He pointed out that $60 entry-level tickets represent the cheapest option in North American sports playoffs, with average prices sitting below $500. FIFA also allocated 130,000 tickets at that $60 rate specifically to national federations.
More than 150 million ticket requests have reportedly poured in for the tournament.
Visa headaches and the FIFA PASS workaround
The 2026 World Cup, hosted across Mexico, the US, and Canada, has created a logistical nightmare around visas. International fans and even some participants have faced US visa denials. Infantino acknowledged the problem while noting that FIFA doesn’t control governmental immigration processes. His solution was to highlight the FIFA PASS system, designed to help ticket holders secure prioritized visa appointments.
This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format.
FIFA’s quiet blockchain play
FIFA has established partnerships aimed at leveraging blockchain for fan engagement, including collaborations with Avalanche and Algorand.
Infantino has repeatedly floated the concept of a FIFA Coin or token. He reportedly discussed the idea at a White House Digital Assets Summit.