FIFA has sharply increased ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup final, with the most expensive seats now listed at $32,970. The dramatic rise has sparked criticism from fans and concern from US politicians over pricing practices and ticket availability. The highest-priced seats became available on FIFA’s official ticket platform on Thursday. The tickets are for the World Cup final scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium. The new price is almost three times higher than FIFA’s earlier top price of $10,990 for Category 1 seats. The older Category 1 tickets were later only available for wheelchair and easy-access seating. The increase marks a major jump compared with previous tournaments. The most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Doha cost around $1,600. Prices for other major matches are also very high. Tickets for the semi-final on 14 July at AT&T Stadium in the Dallas area were listed between $2,705 and $11,130. The second semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium ranged from $2,725 to $10,635. Fans hoping to watch the United States national team also face expensive prices. Tickets for the US opening match against Paraguay on 12 June at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles reached as high as $2,735. The group-stage match against Australia in Seattle was listed at $2,715. The final group match against Turkey in Los Angeles had prices ranging from $840 to $2,970. FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the high prices during a conference in Beverly Hills earlier this week. He said ticket prices reflect the US entertainment market. According to Infantino, sports and entertainment events in the United States often carry premium prices. He also argued that low official prices would only encourage resellers to charge even more. Infantino said many tickets listed on resale platforms already sell for far above FIFA’s official prices. He added that major sporting events in the US rarely offer top seats for under $300. However, critics argue that many US sports events still offer cheaper options for average fans. Even popular NBA playoff games and regular sports events often have lower-priced tickets available. FIFA’s official resale marketplace showed some extreme listings on Thursday. Resale tickets for the World Cup final ranged from $8,970 to nearly $11.5m. One of the highest-priced resale seats was reportedly located near the top rows of the upper deck. FIFA does not set resale prices directly. Still, the organization collects a 15% fee from both buyers and sellers for every resale transaction completed through its marketplace. Last month, another seller reportedly listed final tickets for more than $2.2m. Infantino joked that if someone paid $2m for a ticket, he would personally deliver a hotdog and a Coke to the buyer. The sharp rise in FIFA Final Ticket Prices has also drawn political attention in the United States. US representatives Frank Pallone and Nellie Pou sent a letter to FIFA asking for answers about its ticket policies. The lawmakers requested details about FIFA’s dynamic pricing system and wanted to know how many unsold tickets remain available during the final sales phase. They also asked whether FIFA plans to release more tickets later and if additional ticket categories may be introduced. The politicians raised concerns that FIFA could be limiting ticket supply to increase demand and push prices higher. In their letter, they said many fans feel frustrated by the current sales process. They accused FIFA of using unclear pricing systems and changing rules during ticket sales. The lawmakers also claimed FIFA’s seating maps may mislead buyers about ticket availability. According to the letter, holding back tickets can create pressure on fans to buy quickly before prices rise again. FIFA has not yet publicly responded to the concerns raised by the US lawmakers. The growing debate over FIFA Final Ticket Prices comes as excitement builds for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While demand for tickets remains high, many fans now worry that attending the tournament could become too expensive for ordinary supporters.