Uli HoeneĂ, Bayern Munich's honorary president, has strongly opposed FIFA's high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, stating they undermine the essence of football. He emphasizes the need for affordable access for fans, contrasting FIFA's pricing with Bayern's commitment to reasonable ticket costs.
Key points
Uli HoeneĂ opposes FIFA's high ticket prices for the World Cup.
FIFA's prices include $33,000 for premium seats and $1,200 for the cheapest.
Bayern Munich offers season tickets for âŹ175 to maintain fan access.
HoeneĂ emphasizes football should remain affordable for all fans.
He suggests increasing TV revenues as a financial solution.
Mentioned in this story
Bayern MunichUli HoeneĂFIFAEnglish Premier League
2026 World CupLiverpoolManchester City
26 March 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, MĂŒnster: Uli HoeneĂ, Honorary President of FC Bayern Munich, sits on stage at the Data and AI Festival. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
26 March 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, MĂŒnster: Uli HoeneĂ, Honorary President of FC Bayern Munich, sits on stage at the Data and AI Festival. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Was football not supposed to be for the fans at some point in time? Everything is becoming more and more expensive in the modern day, with football being no exception. The costs of transfers, wages and agents goes up- so the revenue most go up as well. Even clubs at the very top of European football, such as Bayern Munich, have had to find ways to optimize the use of their finances and draw out as much money from as many sources as possible. After all, a club like Bayern is bound to adhere to the 50+1 rule, which requires Bayern Munich eV to own at least 51% of the club rather than sell all available stocks to investors.
This topic was brought up to Bayernâs honorary president, Uli HoeneĂ, by German news site Frankfurter Allgemeine, with the interviewer suggesting selling more of the clubâs capital. Bayern Munich eV currently owns 75% of the club, which means 24% could still be invested elsewhere. But HoeneĂ does not agree with this course of action.
âNo. Iâve always seen things a bit differently, but I havenât actively pushed for it. So far, we can still finance our operations from our own resources,â HoeneĂ noted (as captured by @iMiaSanMia) before realizing any interviewerâs dream by expanding on the topic without any prompting. âI see big potential if TV revenues in Germany were higher. Look at the [English] Premier League: Liverpool or Manchester City get âŹ350 million for the domestic TV rights. And even a club like [2024-25 seasonâs 16th placed EPL team] Wolverhampton gets âŹ130 million. We get âŹ80 million. I see potential there, even if I donât know yet how we can change that. I believe that if Amazon and the like were to really get involved, that could change. For them, it would be pocket change. Furthermore, I still see room for improvement in marketing, even though weâre already among the top three in Europe.â
Despite the considerations, HoeneĂ knows what he will reject as simply out of hand. âBut do you want me to tell you what Iâm against? Iâm against an increase in ticket prices. I completely reject what FIFA is currently doing with the prices for the World Cup in the USA. It has nothing to do with the football business as I imagine it. The World Cup final must not become like the Super Bowl. I recently met someone who was at the Super Bowl. He was invited to a billionaireâs box. The box cost $1.5 million for that one day. For 20 people. Thatâs $75,000 per person. Some of them didnât even watch the game. And the main attraction, of course, was the halftime show.â
To clarify just how expensive the tickets at the 2026 World Cup are, let us look at some raw numbers. captures the most jaw dropping numbers of them all: FIFA prices some of the best seats at the final of the World Cup at around $33,000 (up a fair bit from the $1,600 of the last edition of the World Cup), the cheapest tickets initially cost around $1,200 and the official FIFA Resale/Exchange Marketplace has seen prices go up to prices as eye gouging as ELEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
also captured HoeneĂ clarifying that he does not want Bayern going down that same road: âWe have season tickets for 175 euros. Iâm very proud of that. I donât want fans who donât have such high incomes to be unable to afford them. Football belongs to them too, or especially to them. It canât be that they can only afford to go to a football match if they cut back on food or holidays. Going to a football match must always be possible for everyone.â
FIFA does not even need to raise the prices so high. They simply realize that this is their main cash cow and want to milk it as much as possible, sanity be damned. As long as HoeneĂ is around at Bayern, though, that will not happen to Bayern fans.
*If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on , , , or any leading podcast distributorâŠ*
Q&A
What are the ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup?
FIFA has set ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup final at around $33,000 for premium seats, with the cheapest tickets starting at approximately $1,200.
Why does Uli HoeneĂ reject FIFA's ticket pricing strategy?
HoeneĂ believes FIFA's inflated ticket prices disconnect football from its fans and should not turn the World Cup into an exclusive event like the Super Bowl.
How does Bayern Munich's ticket pricing compare to FIFA's?
Bayern Munich offers season tickets for âŹ175, which HoeneĂ is proud of, as he wants football to remain accessible to fans of all income levels.
What does Uli HoeneĂ suggest for improving football finances?
HoeneĂ sees potential in increasing TV revenues in Germany, comparing it to the lucrative deals in the English Premier League, but he firmly opposes raising ticket prices.
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