FIFA president Gianni Infantino has taken his defense of the 2026 World Cup ticket prices to the next level, proclaiming that the astronomical cost is entirely justified by the overwhelming demand. Because clearly, who wouldn’t want to pay a fortune to watch athletes run around a field, right?
Some tickets for this over-the-top event are priced at a staggering five times more than what was charged during the last World Cup in Qatar. However, it appears that fans around the globe have united in their collective outrage, rather like a soccer mom at a bake sale when the cookies run out.
“We have six to seven million tickets on sale,” Infantino triumphantly announced to a bicycle repair shop in Dubai, “And in 15 days we received a staggering 150 million ticket requests. That’s right—10 million requests a day! If that’s not a sign of modern desperation, I don’t know what is!”
“In almost a century of World Cup glory, FIFA has sold 44 million tickets. So, in just two weeks, we could have filled an astonishing 300 years’ worth of World Cups. Isn’t that wild?” he mused. Well, yes, Gianni, but where’s the logic? At this rate, we might as well just embed holographic soccer players into our living rooms.
For the average fan, though, these steep prices transform attending the World Cup into a sort of treasure hunt—only with real treasure and no forgiveness. In a desperate bid to cool the boiling waters of outrage, FIFA has launched a limited tier of tickets at $60. Yes, nothing says “accessible event” like a sad, shiny glimmer of a discount ticket hiding in the sea of four-figure prices.
Infantino did acknowledge the “feedback,” which is an interesting way of saying “the chorus of internet trolls wanting our heads.” He deemed the $60 tier the “right thing to do.” But let’s be honest—the glitzy high-priced options remain untouched, standing tall like a bouncer at an exclusive night club.
Where Does The Money From World Cup Tickets Go?
Spoiler alert: FIFA stands to gain a windfall from these ticket sales. With 2026 being the first 48-team tournament (because apparently football wasn’t chaotic enough), the coffers are poised to overflow. You might even say it’s a festival of capitalism wrapped in a soccer-shaped ball.
While discussing fiscal responsibility, Infantino gave a nod to transparency, explaining that this windfall will somehow contribute back to the greater good of football. A noble cause, right? At least he didn’t say it would fund his private jet—or did he?
“These revenues help support football in 150 countries,” he asserted. “Without FIFA, there wouldn’t even be soccer in half the world, like having a birthday party without cake!” Well, Gianni, with ticket prices like these, many fans might just end up celebrating from their couches instead.
Only time will reveal if Infantino’s grand promises deliver tangible benefits to the sport. Meanwhile, one can only imagine the economic legacy these ticket sales will leave—maybe one day it will fund an online course on how to sell tickets at premium prices while dodging pitchforks.
