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By Jordan King
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The cost of a FIFA World Cup ticket dropped below $100 on a resale website on Monday, in the latest sign of flagging demand to see games live at the huge sporting showpiece being hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada starting next month.
Tickets for the Jordan vs. Algeria game in San Francisco on June 22 started at $98, according to resale ticket price aggregator SeatSidekick.
The average price for the cheapest World Cup group stage game tickets on resale markets is $559, according to analytics firm TicketData.
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FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, has likened the interest in the competition to “1,000 years of World Cups at once” but there have been multiple signs of sluggish demand, including low hotel and hospitality bookings.
One of the major reasons cited for this is the ticket prices for games, which have been significantly higher than in past competitions.
“FIFA priced tickets too high for all 104 games, complete disaster, and they will be forced to drop them all greatly in next 30+ days. A terrible overall ticketing distribution execution for the world’s biggest sporting tournament,” Ticket Talk host Scott Friedman previously told Newsweek.
Newsweek has contacted FIFA, via email, for comment.
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Resale Ticket Prices Decline
While resale ticket prices typically soften as major sporting events approach, the scale of the current price drops for the upcoming FIFA World Cup highlights a significant disconnect between seller expectations and actual consumer demand.
Despite the recent downward trend, overall ticket prices for this year's tournament have reached historic highs. Entry-level pricing varies heavily by matchup and host city, but secondary market rates remain elevated across the board. According to data from ticket analytics firm TicketData, the average "get-in" price for Colombia’s group-stage matches stood at $2,312 as of Monday morning, contrasted sharply against a more modest $202 entry point for South Africa’s fixtures.
However, the aggressive premium initially demanded by secondary market sellers is facing a reality check. Over the last 30 days, average resale prices have tumbled by up to 22 percent, with a 9 percent drop occurring within the last two weeks alone.
The steep cost of attendance has even drawn commentary from political figures. In an interview with the New York Post earlier this month, President Donald Trump addressed the $1,000 baseline price tag for the U.S. Men's National Team’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12.
“I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you,” Trump said.
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Underwhelming Demand in Hotel Bookings Too
Newsweek previously spoke to host city hotel owners and hospitality industry representatives who said bookings are running below forecasts for the World Cup period.
“We expect the stadiums will be full, but to fully realize the opportunity, the U.S. and FIFA must ensure a welcoming and seamless experience for international travelers,” a spokesperson for the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) said.
Some 80 percent of those in U.S. host markets said bookings were “tracking below initial forecasts,” the industry body found.
The Hotel Association of New York City originally forecast that the World Cup would lift U.S. hotels' revenue per available room (RevPAR) by 75 to 100 basis points, but it would not scale this back to a more modest 25-50 basis points.
The State Department has recently tried to ease travel for attendees, waiving a requirement for visa applicants from 50 countries to pay a $15,000 deposit when travelling to the U.S. if they have a valid ticket for the competition.
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