Less than 24 hours before kickoff of the 2026 World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium, ticket prices on FIFA’s resale platform soared to nearly $2.3 million, making it the most expensive sporting event ever held in the United States by resale value.

By Friday, almost all tickets appeared sold, with a few still listed on FIFA’s official sales platform at around $32,000 each. However, by Saturday, no last-minute tickets were available on the official site. Resale prices ranged from just under $10,000 to the multimillion-dollar mark.

The final features Lionel Messi’s Argentina facing Spain and their teenage star Lamine Yamal. Ticket prices have escalated sharply on the secondary market as demand peaked.

Scott Friedman, a ticketing expert and former Cleveland Cavaliers employee who runs the Ticket Talk Network, praised FIFA’s ability to gauge demand accurately. He noted, “What FIFA did a very good job of was determining what demand would be because people [were] paying these absurd prices for just about all the 104 matches.”

Friedman also explained how FIFA’s dynamic pricing system and ticket release strategy can increase market demand by gradually releasing seats.

Initial ticket prices for group stage games started at $575, more than double the highest group ticket price in the 2022 tournament, but many fans paid significantly more due to dynamic pricing. Early concerns that steep prices would deter fans were alleviated after empty seats were observed at the Guadalajara Stadium during a June 11 match between South Korea and Czechia.

According to SeatGeek, the resale price for the World Cup final exceeded the 2024 Super Bowl by 8%, underscoring the unprecedented demand and value of the event.

Sources