Football
World Cup quarter-final ticket prices drop after USA, Portugal exits
Ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals have fallen sharply on the secondary market following the elimination of co-hosts the United States and Portugal from the tournament.
According to data from ticket analytics firm TicketData and resale platform TickPick, the average entry-level resale price for the four quarter-final matches declined by 52 per cent within 72 hours after the Round of 16 concluded.
Analysts attributed the drop to reduced demand after the United States and Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to advance to the last eight. Ticket sellers had anticipated a high-demand quarter-final in Los Angeles featuring the host nation and Portugal, driving resale prices to record levels before the knockout matches were played.
The steepest decline was recorded for the quarter-final scheduled in Los Angeles. Before the eliminations, the cheapest resale ticket was priced at about $2,950. Following Belgium’s 4-1 victory over the United States and Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal, the lowest available resale ticket fell by 61 per cent to approximately $1,200.
The exits also triggered a surge in ticket listings as sellers rushed to offload their inventory. Data showed that the number of tickets available on the secondary market increased from 28,285 at the start of the tournament to 49,415 after the Round of 16.
Updated resale prices across the quarter-final fixtures also reflected significant declines.
The France versus Morocco match in Foxborough recorded the lowest entry price at $989, down 41 per cent from $1,722. The Spain versus Belgium clash in Los Angeles dropped by 61 per cent from $3,363 to $1,200, while Norway’s meeting with England in Miami fell 55 per cent from $3,991 to $1,813. Tickets for Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland in Kansas City declined by 50 per cent, from $2,666 to $1,324.
Despite the sharp reductions, the England versus Norway fixture remains the most expensive quarter-final on the resale market.
The impact has also extended to the tournament’s closing stages. Tickets for the first semi-final in Dallas have fallen by 42 per cent to $2,320, while prices for the second semi-final in Atlanta are down 52 per cent to $2,708.
Resale prices for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey have also softened, falling by nine per cent from $9,740 to $8,842.
Keith Pagello, founder of TicketData, said sellers moved quickly to reduce prices after the anticipated marquee matchups failed to materialise.
“Ticket data shows that sellers focused entirely on eliminating risk rather than leaving money on the table for matchups that never materialized,” he said.
He added that prices could rise again depending on the remaining fixtures, noting that strong performances by football’s biggest stars and traditional powerhouses could quickly drive renewed demand for tickets.
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