Football's governing body announces dynamic pricing, meaning ticket costs could flex based on match and demand
FIFA announces dynamic pricing for 2026 World Cup ticketsStart at $60 for group stage, final to cost up to $6,730Prices set to change based on match and demandFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
2026 World Cup tickets will start at just $60, but costs are subject to change based on dynamic pricing, FIFA announced on Wednesday. The system will allow flex pricing for tickets based on demand, match and relative interest – something FIFA dubs "variable pricing."
Exact costs could start to change after the initial ticket lottery, set to open on Sept. 10.
"With just 10 months to go until the FIFA World Cup 26 kicks off, we are excited to launch the first phase of ticket sales for the tournament," said Heimo Schirgi, FIFA World Cup 2026 COO. "This marks a momentous milestone as we build up to this historic event, and we look forward to millions of fans joining us in North America next June."
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Tickets for the tournament will be split into four separate "categories" based on location. Although FIFA did not specify what each category will entail, in general, category 1 is set for the lower bowl of a venue, category 2 is the second deck, while the remaining two are allocated to the upper level.
There are no specifics on how many category 4 tickets will be made available. It is worth noting that ticket prices are subject to change from day one of the lottery phase – meaning prices could go up or down during presale, depending on how many tickets have been purchased.
Dynamic pricing does not necessarily mean that ticket prices will increase. The 2025 Club World Cup received its fair share of negativity for pricey seats, and was forced to adjust costs when demand was far less significant than tournament organizers expected.
DID YOU KNOW?
World Cup final ticket costs have spiked since the last iteration of the tournament. Category 1 tickets for the 2022 final, held in Qatar, cost $1,605. Next year's starting cost for the final is $6,730, representing a 400-percent price increase.
The initial $6,730 maximum price for the final is not a hospitality ticket – those are already on sale, and range from $3,500 to $73,200 per person across the tournament.
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP
Original presale for the tournament starts on Sept. 10, as fans can enter a lottery that concludes nine days later. Those selected will have a month to purchase their seats. The World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, co-hosted Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
The additional ticket sales phases will begin in October, through to the final match on July 19, 2026.
Phase 2: Early Ticket Draw, with the registration window expected to take place from Oct. 27-31 and time slots for purchase from mid-November to early December. Similar to the first phase, this will consist of an application, followed by a randomised selection process.
Phase 3: Random Selection Draw, with registration beginning shortly after the Final Draw for the World Cup. During this phase, fans will be able to submit applications for specific matches after the final draw has revealed most of the group-stage matchups.
Closer to the tournament, fans will be able to buy any remaining inventory on a first-come, first-served basis.
