World Cup ticket prices gone wild: $33K seats, $2K minimum just to bring a family

NY Post ^ | 5/11/26 | Ethan Sears

[Libloather]

The biggest sporting event in world history might have a less-flattering title soon: the most expensive sporting event in world history.

The World Cup, which kicks off June 11 in Mexico City, has become a carnival for the rich so expensive it resembles a monthlong Met Gala. Just last Thursday, FIFA rolled out a $32,970 seat for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium, triple the cost of its most expensive ticket before then.

Even in the group stage, tickets are priced in the hundreds of dollars. So is parking and, in some cities — including New York and Boston — so is public transit.

Want to take a family of four to Norway-Senegal, the cheapest game available in the New York area?

As of Saturday afternoon, there were four “Category Four” seats in Section 306, the upper corner of the stadium, available for $402.50 apiece on FIFA’s resale site, the cheapest option between the traditional secondary market (StubHub, SeatGeek, etc.), the official resale and what’s left at face value.

That’s $1,610 for tickets, plus if you’re coming in from the city, you’ll have to factor in the $105 NJ Transit ticket per person, which jacks up the total cost to $2,030, still before buying any food or beverages.

Or you could always park. That’ll require paying $225 for a space at American Dream and walking, though, since the general parking lots are being used for fan engagement and enhanced security.

For a 90-minute game, that comes out to $5.64 per person, per minute.

Tickets for the Mets-Cubs game at Citi Field the same night, by the way, can be had for less than $50 a pop. That does, however, require watching the Mets play baseball.

---

TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors; Society; Sports
KEYWORDS: prices; seats; ticket; worldcup

[neverevergiveup]

The more and more sports becomes inaccessible to normal people the les and less relevant it will become. Same with ‘entertainment’. Just think of what good you could do with $78,000 - and how much better you would feel than if you spent the night listening to someone singing about ex boyfriends.

Listen to Tom Petty's “Money Becomes King”.

[Libloather]

...and how much better you would feel than if you spent the night listening to someone singing about ex boyfriends.

Holy smokes, get the DVD. Better camera shots and audio. Play it as many times as possible.

[Inyo-Mono]

Rush is playing four concerts in Fort Worth next month, nosebleed seats are around $350 before fees.

Wow, and I paid $4.50 to see The Beatles in 1966.

[thefactor]

I would easily pay $1000 to see the US play in a knock-out round game. These games are rare and an amazing experience. All this crazed media coverage about prices are ridiculous.

[neverevergiveup]

Ookaaaayyyyyy...

[LegendHasIt]

Like W.C. Fields always said:

“Never Give a Soccer an Even Break!”

[Vigilanteman]

But I’ll bet Frydrych was a whole lot more entertaining than a sissy soccer match. Wasn’t he the guy who talked to baseballs?

[simpson96]

I recall the 1994 World Cup matches were affordable to virtually everyone. Even adjusted for inflation, the comparison in prices from then and now is like night and day.

[Larry Lucido]

Exactly.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

I’d pay $2k to be let out of a World Cup match if I found myself in one.