Gianni Infantino has defended the high cost of World Cup tickets, saying FIFA is operating within market realities, especially in the United States where ticket resale laws allow prices to soar.
The football governing body has come under heavy criticism from fan groups, including Football Supporters Europe, which described the pricing as “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal.” The group also filed a complaint with the European Commission earlier this year over what it termed excessive ticket costs.
Concerns intensified after FIFA’s official resale platform listed four tickets for the July 19 final in New York at over $2 million each.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, Infantino said the figures were driven by demand and resale dynamics rather than official pricing.
“If some people put on the resale market, some tickets for the final at $2 million, number one, it doesn’t mean that the tickets cost $2 million,” he said.
“And number two, it doesn’t mean that somebody will buy these tickets. And if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2 million, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience.”
He added that FIFA must align with prevailing market conditions, particularly in the US entertainment industry.
“We have to look at the market — we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said.
“In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well. So if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price.
“And as a matter of fact, even though some people are saying that the ticket prices we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double of our price.”
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Infantino also highlighted the surge in demand, revealing that more than 500 million ticket requests have been recorded for the 2026 tournament — a sharp rise compared to fewer than 50 million combined requests for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Despite the criticism, he noted that a portion of tickets remains relatively affordable.
“You cannot go to watch a college game in the US, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300,” he said. “And this is the World Cup.”