Topic analysis

World Cup 'prices will drop' but too late for traveling fans

For the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, FIFA has implemented dynamic pricing and its own secondary ticket market, leading to extreme listed prices (including one over $2 million) but leaving many matches undersold with tickets still available a month before kickoff. Analysts like SeatPick CEO Gilad Zilberman predict ticket prices will drop soon, though this will be too late for international fans facing visa, airfare, and logistical barriers; hotel bookings in host cities run 80% below initial forecasts, secondary market platforms often offer cheaper tickets than FIFA's, and regulatory pushback such as Ontario's ban on reselling tickets above face value has challenged FIFA's strategy.