The road to the 2026 World Cup final has just become more expensive for football fans worldwide as FIFA has increased ticket prices.
FIFA officially reopened its ticket sales window on Wednesday, revealing that the most prestigious seats for the July 19 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium have skyrocketed.
This latest World Cup ticket price hike has seen Category 1 tickets reaching a staggering $10,990, nearly seven times the cost of the most expensive general admission seat at the 2022 final in Qatar ($1,604).
FIFA’s new pricing model has also led to a sharp 38% increase in Category 2 and Category 3 tickets compared to the previous sales phase in December 2025.
Category two was up 32.78% from $5,575 (£4,227) to $7,380 (£5,596) while category three increased 38.23% from $4,185 (£3,173) to $5,785 (£4,386).
This new World Cup final ticket price is a 38 per cent increase from the $8,680 (£6,581) that was advertised as the most expensive ticket during the members’ sale in December, when each country’s official supporters’ club was given early access.
The pricing system put in place by FIFA is variable, with the cost of tickets fluctuating based on demand, which remains high.
Wednesday night’s open sale for the final, and 17 of the 72 group matches, also disclosed that category two tickets had risen 32 percent to $7,380 (£5,596), and category three tickets were now priced at $5,785 (£4,386), a 38 percent increase.
The top three category prices are all substantially higher than the cost of the most expensive seat at the 2022 Qatar World Cup final, contested by Argentina and France, which was the equivalent of $1,604 (£1,214).
The £8,333 ticket is a massive hike on the $1,550 (£1,174) that was promised as the maximum price in the US, Canada, and Mexico’s initial bid for the tournament.
The open sale was the final chance to buy directly from FIFA before the resale market opened on Thursday.
The latest development comes four months after FIFA was criticised for its ticket pricing, initially marketing tickets at $140 to $8,680 following the World Cup draw. However, following backlash, they released a new cut-price offer.
Meanwhile, the full list of the countries competing in the 2026 World Cup tournament has been released.
The tournament, to be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, was expanded by FIFA to accommodate 48 nations.
The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, with 104 matches.
Below is the full list;
Group A
Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
Czechia
Group B
Canada
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Qatar
Switzerland
Group C
Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland
Group D
United States
Paraguay
Australia
Turkiye
Group E
Germany
Curacao
Ivory Coast
Ecuador
Group F
Netherlands
Japan
Sweden
Tunisia
Group G
Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand
Group H
Spain
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Uruguay
Group I
France
Senegal
Iraq
Norway
Group J
Argentina
Algeria
Austria
Jordan
Group K
Portugal
Congo DR
Uzbekistan
Colombia
