Fans express fury as tickets on FIFA’s official resale platform reach astronomical prices, selling for over 41 times their face value

Football fans worldwide are voicing their anger after tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup appeared on the organization’s official resale platform with price tags reaching as high as $143,000—more than 41 times their original face value.

The eye-watering prices have sparked accusations of profiteering and raised serious questions about FIFA’s ticket distribution system and resale policies. Many supporters argue that the governing body’s platform is enabling scalpers to exploit genuine fans desperate to attend the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The controversy centers on FIFA’s authorized resale marketplace, where tickets originally sold for around $3,500 are now being listed at prices that put them far beyond the reach of ordinary supporters. Critics point out that while FIFA has long claimed to prioritize fan access to matches, the organization’s own platform appears to be facilitating price gouging on an unprecedented scale.

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Fan groups and consumer advocates are demanding that FIFA implement stricter controls on resale prices, with some calling for caps that would prevent tickets from being sold above a certain percentage of their face value. Others have questioned why FIFA’s system allows such markups in the first place, arguing that the organization has a responsibility to protect fans from exploitation.

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams for the first time and matches across 16 host cities. However, the ticket pricing controversy threatens to overshadow what should be a celebration of the sport, with many fans now wondering whether they’ll be priced out of witnessing football’s biggest event.

FIFA has yet to issue a comprehensive response to the growing backlash, leaving supporters frustrated and uncertain about whether any action will be taken to address the situation before the tournament kicks off.