FIFA has announced the pricing for match tickets for next summer’s World Cup. The 48-team football extravaganza is heading to North America where the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico will host matches across 16 cities. With dynamic pricing in place, FIFA taking a hefty 15% fee from both sellers and buyers on the resale platform, and the corporate speak and bureaucracy that plagues Gianni Infantino’s FIFA, it might be a World Cup where the average fan is priced out.

An alternative to high ticket prices – a World Cup predictor

If you’re worried about missing out on going to the World Cup because of the high ticket prices, there are other ways that you can enjoy the spectacle. As well as watching the games socially with friends, why not play a football predictor for business, getting your employees together to guess the scores and add that little bit of spice into every World Cup match. Play against each other with inter-departmental tussles and have prizes and forfeits throughout the tournament to add another layer of intrigue and excitement.

What have FIFA announced about World Cup ticket prices?

As the preparations for the World Cup next summer have ramped up, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has consistently repeated one phrase – “the world will be welcome”. There have been concerns by fans from around the globe about the stance on immigration in the USA in particular and the chaos of Trump’s world, but there are also concerns over host cities and the transport links to stadiums, and now high ticket prices.

The first batch of tickets went on sale last week, providing over 4.5 million fans the chance to enter a draw to have a chance to purchase World Cup match tickets. Those who were successful have listed ticket prices online, with General admission prices for the opening match costing $560 for the cheapest ticket and $2,235 for the highest priced ticket. Compared to the opening match in Qatar 2020 ($55 and $618) and you can see it is a significant price hike. The cheapest ticket for the final is $2,030 and the most expensive is $6,000.

Resale tickets and dynamic pricing

As the tournament goes on, the ticket prices only climb higher, but there is also the problem of dynamic pricing and resale platforms with no price controls. One potential punter looked at a resale ticket for a group match in Canada that was listed as $80 but by the time it got to the sale page that price had rocketed to $1,600. FIFA are taking a 15% cut from both seller and buyer on the resale platforms.

The Club World Cup in the summer showcased the up and down nature of dynamic pricing, with some games starting at ridiculously high prices and ending up being sold for a few dollars on matchday when two thirds of the stadium was due to be empty. This is a concern for FIFA, but the World Cup is generally a different kettle of fish to other football events. We’ve seen the arguments against dynamic prices with the gouging of fans over Oasis concert tickets over the last year, but it’s not something that non-US sports fans are used to dealing with.

Have fun with a World Cup Predictor

If you’re not willing to pay the high ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, do not fear. You can have just as much fun at home, watching the games on the television and taking part in a World Cup football predictor game with your colleagues at work.

It is so much fun to play a prediction game, and where all the fun has been pulled out of the beautiful game by high ticket prices and inane FIFA bureaucracy, you can take it back to the basics. 5-a-side footy, jumpers for goalposts, and predicting the scores in a competitive league where you’ll want to win! It’s great for companies looking to foster genuine team building exercises and good morale. It gives your staff something to talk about each morning, who’s top of the league? Who got the scores spot on last night? And which of the football ‘experts’ predicted a thumping win for the World Champions but instead they were humbled by first-time minnows Cape Verde?!

It’s all to play for with a football predictor game for business! Make it a part of your teambuilding plans for next summer’s festival of football in North America.