According to media reports, ticket sales for the USA’s first match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been poor due to overpricing and other factors.
The article states:Only six days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed that tickets for every match of the 2026 World Cup were “sold out”, FIFA suddenly launched an additional ticket sale, sending emails to fans promoting an “exclusive extra ticket opportunity” and warning that “ticket inventory is extremely limited”. However, fans who provided information and screenshots to journalists revealed that tickets for at least 64 of the 104 matches at this summer’s World Cup are still available. Some experts believe FIFA’s actions are the clearest evidence so far that it may have exaggerated ticket demand for some matches.
Why are tickets for the USA’s first World Cup match against Paraguay (to be held in Los Angeles) selling poorly? FIFA set Category 1 tickets for this match at $2,735 and Category 2 tickets at $1,940, making it one of the most expensive matches of the tournament. As a result, many American fans – at least those interviewed by journalists – are choosing to attend the USA’s second group match in Seattle or the final group match in Los Angeles, with ticket prices for both games less than one-third of the opening fixture.
