Supporters Struggling With High Costs of Attending World Cup in USA
- Supporters planning to go to the United States for the World Cup are feeling disappointed.
- Airline tickets, match tickets, and cost of living are reaching high amounts.
- Seats are still available on FIFA’s ticketing platform. The question remains if the stadiums will fill up.
It is surely one of the most beautiful memories of his life, as Joseph shows images in the above 20H report: following the Blues in the World Cup. It was in Russia in 2018, with the final victory. Eight years later, for his fiftieth birthday, this French team supporter dreamt of reliving the experience at the 2026 World Cup in the United States. But he has just realized that he simply cannot afford it.
“It’s a Pleasure Being Taken Away from Me”
“It’s a pleasure being taken away from me,”
he laments to TF1. “We feel unwelcome as supporters. I love football, but I won’t go into debt to attend matches,”
he warns. He calculated that he would have paid three times more than during the competition in Russia. With a budget capped at 5,000 euros, combining travel, accommodation, airfare, and match tickets is unattainable. This will be the case for all prices in the United States, which will host 78 of the 104 World Cup matches — Mexico and Canada each hosting 13.
$6,000 for a ticket to the final
In the stands, the first tickets were indeed sold for 60 dollars, but you need over 6,000 dollars for a ticket to the final. According to several contacted French supporters, a ticket for a group stage match cost them an average of 200 dollars. That’s three times higher than in Qatar during the last World Cup.
Why such a difference? Contacted, FIFA explains, “The prices set for the 2026 World Cup reflect the current practices of the American market for major entertainment events, including football,”
they responded by email to TF1.
Exorbitant Transportation Prices
But on social media, these prices are causing strong reactions. “This World Cup looks catastrophic,”
says one internet user. “This World Cup should be boycotted,”
says another. Prices have significantly increased on-site, especially for transportation. To reach the MetLife Stadium from New York, for example, a usual 30-minute trip costs 13 dollars round trip. But during the World Cup, to get to this stadium in neighboring New Jersey, which will host 8 matches including the final, it will be 150 dollars.
Catch up on reading: World Cup 2026: to get to the stadium by train, you will have to pay… 150 dollars
Jean-Baptiste will be there. This other supporter is frustrated, so he is trying to find solutions. “In terms of price, it is more advantageous to return to France than to stay in the United States. Generally, we stay in the country for the duration of the World Cup,”
he laments. Tickets are still available on the FIFA website. But will the stadiums fill up? Answer starting from June 11.
