FIFA Sells 5 Million 2026 World Cup Tickets as Resale Prices Decline
More than 90% of 2026 World Cup matches have seen declining resale prices on StubHub and SeatGeek as of May 14, 2026, with the average down 24% from a month ago. FIFA maintains strong sales and high interest while hotel bookings in host cities trail forecasts. The U.S. team's June 12 opening match in Los Angeles has not sold out.
Nbc NewsCom. The average resale price has fallen about 24% from a month ago and about 8% over the past week. As of mid-May 2026, the average resale price for "get in" tickets to Group Stage matches stands at about $560, down from $720 one month earlier.
"Prices are going down because there’s not enough purchasing going on right now to support the current sky-high prices," Keith Pagello said. He added that even the new prices remain out of reach for many fans. Pagello further stated that the purchasing velocity has been slow and not enough to support the higher prices.
FIFA has sold approximately 5 million tickets for the 2026 World Cup. 5 million. Lower-bowl seats for many group-stage matches still cost more than $1,000.
U.S. team on June 12 in Los Angeles has not sold out. The cheapest ticket option for that match remains above $1,000. The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens in June 2026. FIFA stated that ticket sales for the FIFA World Cup remain strong with a high degree of interest for all matches.
Hotel bookings for most 2026 World Cup host cities have tracked below initial forecasts, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In Kansas City, as many as 90% of respondents said hotel sales were trailing a typical summer. In Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, many respondents reported the World Cup was proving a “non event” for selling out rooms.
New Jersey Transit train service to MetLife Stadium for the World Cup costs $98 per ticket. New Jersey Transit bus tickets to the stadium cost $20, above the usual fare of $13. The trend of declining resale prices was first reported by The Athletic.
Keith Pagello said some sales may now be in a self-perpetuating cycle in which fans get comfortable on the sidelines believing prices will continue to drop. "Nobody’s buying because prices are going down so buyers see that and say ‘I’ll wait some more,’" he said.
Andy Bass said it seems like there’s just a layer of difficulty with this tournament, and the lack of transparency means a lot of people aren’t even considering buying a ticket.
"Very few people outside of hardcore supporters are considering it," he added. @NBCNews reported the details on resale trends, FIFA sales figures, hotel data and stakeholder comments.
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