FIFA is selling tickets for the playoff matches in Mexico that will decide two spots in the upcoming World Cup for under $17, a stark contrast to the $4,185 to $8,680 range for tickets to this year’s final in New Jersey.
Tickets went on sale Tuesday for the matches scheduled on March 26 and 31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey, which will feature Bolivia, Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname.
– FIFA’s ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup exceed 500 million
– FIFA acknowledges that resale prices for World Cup tickets will increase
For the March 26 semifinals, tickets are priced at 200 Mexican pesos (approximately $11.30), and for the March 31 finals, they are 300 pesos ($16.95).
In Guadalajara, Jamaica will compete against New Caledonia on March 26, with the winner advancing to face Congo on March 31 for a chance at a World Cup entry.
Meanwhile, in Monterrey, Bolivia will face Suriname on March 26, with the winner moving on to challenge Iraq five days later.
Following widespread criticism from fan groups, FIFA announced in December that it would offer several hundred $60 tickets for each game to the 48 national federations participating in the tournament. These federations will decide how to distribute these tickets to their most dedicated fans who have attended prior games.
Most seats available through FIFA’s resale platform are priced well above the $1,000 mark as the organization seeks to eliminate the secondary market and collect an additional 15% fee from both buyers and sellers.
FIFA has around 7 million seats to fill for World Cup matches and recently stated it received 500 million requests for tickets. Despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino announcing that all 104 matches are sold out, some fans received emails last week offering an extended 48-hour window for ticket sales.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.