World Cup 2026 price shock hits California fans

World Cup excitement is colliding with sticker shock in California as ticket prices for matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood climb to levels many fans say are out of reach.

The United States is set to face Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, but the cheapest available seat is currently over $1,100.

Some listings for the game show prices around $4,000, underscoring how expensive the opening US match has become for fans hoping to attend in person.

The broader tournament pricing trend is even more striking.

Tickets for the 2026 World Cup final are averaging nearly $13,000, which is more than eight times the top face-value price of the previous championship, fueling concerns that the event is becoming inaccessible to average supporters.

FIFA has pointed to a small batch of low-cost tickets starting at $60, but data indicates fewer than 2% of total tickets were released at that price level, fueling accusations that affordable seats are largely symbolic.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the pricing model, saying the organization is operating within market realities.

“We have to look at the market. We are in a market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world, so we have to apply market rates,” he said Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. 

“In the US it is permitted to resell tickets, as well, so if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price. And as a matter of fact, even though some people are saying that the ticket prices we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double of our price.”

He added, “You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300.”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

FIFA says it does not control prices on its official Resale/Exchange Marketplace but collects a 15 percent fee from both buyers and sellers on each transaction.

Despite that, resale listings have already reached extreme levels, including one ticket for the final posted at $2,299,998.85.

The controversy has also reached Washington. 

US Reps. Frank Pallone and Nellie Pou, both New Jersey Democrats, sent a letter to Infantino demanding answers by May 22 about FIFA’s pricing system, ticket availability, and whether supply is being limited to influence demand.

They accused FIFA of manipulating scarcity.

“FIFA also appears to be restricting ticket supply to shape demand,” they wrote. “Tickets are reportedly being held back for matches, creating the appearance of limited availability even when large numbers remain unsold. This pressures fans to purchase quickly while allowing FIFA to control pricing through staggered releases.”

Beyond ticket prices, fans attending matches in Southern California are also facing high hotel and transportation costs, further increasing the total expense of attending the tournament.

Even the US President has weighed in.

“I did not know that number,” President Trump told The Post. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”