The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off Thursday in North America, but the tournament has generated muted overall demand compared to past editions, with 176,000 tickets listed unsold on the official resale platform, flight bookings below expectations for leisure travel, and ticket prices that have drawn widespread criticism for pricing out ordinary fans.

Key Highlights

  • 176,000 tickets on official resale: More than 176,000 tickets, primarily for group stage matches, remained listed on FIFA's official resale platform near the tournament's start, with resale prices down approximately 20% over the past month.
  • Final ticket listed at $32,970: FIFA listed a top-category ticket for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium at $32,970, triple its April price and more than 20 times the equivalent ticket's cost at the 2022 final in Qatar.
  • Jet fuel doubling flight costs: Iran war-driven jet fuel price increases, with aviation fuel roughly doubling since February 2026, have added significant cost to international travel to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico host cities.
  • Some matches nearly empty, others sell out instantly: Demand has been highly uneven, with Mexico's opening match selling out with secondary tickets reaching $3,738 two hours before kick-off, while matches involving lower-profile teams still have thousands of tickets available.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, held across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico and featuring 48 teams for the first time, opened Thursday with a structural paradox: the largest tournament in the sport's history is simultaneously the most expensive ever attended and, for a significant number of matches, struggling to fill seats.

Approximately 176,000 tickets remained listed on FIFA's official resale platform as the tournament began, concentrated primarily in group stage fixtures involving lower-profile national teams. The median resale price on the platform has fallen approximately 20% over the past month, and after a 26% resale fee, sellers of most group-stage tickets are likely taking losses. Iran's group stage matches have approximately 16,000 unsold tickets with relatively low starting prices.

At the other extreme, premium matches are commanding prices that effectively exclude the vast majority of football fans globally. FIFA's top-category ticket to the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is listed at $32,970, more than 20 times the equivalent ticket price at the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. Dynamically priced tickets have drawn criticism from fans and attracted legal attention, with the New York and New Jersey attorneys general issuing subpoenas to FIFA to disclose details of its pricing methodology.

A significant constraint on attendance demand has been the cost of international travel. Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the Iran war began, airlines have raised fares and added surcharges, and overall air fares are up approximately 27% year-on-year. For fans travelling from South America, Africa, or Asia, the combined cost of flights, accommodation, and tickets has put in-person attendance out of reach for most.