A FIFA World Cup final is always one of the biggest sporting events in the world, attracting enormous global interest. Ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final have reached record levels. The prices now being paid are far higher than those initially set by FIFA.
Argentina and Spain will meet in this year's World Cup final in New York on early hours of Monday. According to U.S.-based ticket marketplace TickPick, the average purchase price for a final ticket has reached $11,327—about Tk 1.4 million in Bangladeshi currency. It is the highest average ticket price ever recorded for any sporting event held in the United States.
The cheapest ticket available for the final costs $6,943. Before Argentina defeated England in the semi-final to book their place in the final, the cheapest ticket was selling for around $7,200. Prices eased slightly once the finalists were confirmed, according to Forbes.
The most expensive ticket currently available is priced at $28,479, or roughly Tk 3.5 million. Two seats in Section 115A of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey were listed at that price each, bringing the total cost for the pair to $56,958.
According to TickPick, the World Cup final now tops the list of the most expensive sporting events in U.S. history based on average ticket price. It is followed by:
Super Bowl LVIII (2024): $9,411
Super Bowl LV (2021): $7,313
Super Bowl LIV (2020): $6,546
Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals (New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs): $6,308
Meanwhile, the cheapest ticket for the third-place play-off between France and England costs around $900. Prices for that match dropped by about $300 after England were eliminated by Argentina in the semi-finals.
According to ticket marketplace SeatPick, the 2026 World Cup is the most expensive tournament in FIFA's 96-year history overall. At the start of the tournament, the average ticket price stood at $1,622. By the semi-finals, that figure had risen to $4,162. However, ticket prices did not rise throughout the tournament. In the resale market, prices for several matches fell significantly.
In particular, ticket prices for the Spain–Belgium quarter-final dropped by nearly 60% after the United States and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal were eliminated from the tournament.
What was the original price?
When tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026 first went on sale, FIFA set the highest-priced final ticket at $10,990. Excluding the resale market and considering only official box office prices, it was the highest price ever charged for a standard-category ticket in football history.
However, FIFA's ticket sales process has drawn criticism from fans. The governing body did not release all tickets at once, instead making additional tickets available throughout the tournament until matchday. In the United States, dynamic pricing pushed ticket prices sharply higher.
As a result, many fans believe this year's World Cup has effectively become a tournament for the wealthy. The backlash has prompted FIFA to say it will review its ticket sales strategy ahead of the 2030 World Cup.