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World Cup Loses Fans With Expensive, Hard-to-Get Tickets, Study Says
TL;DR
A Seton Hall study reveals a 10% decline in interest for the 2026 World Cup in North America due to high ticket prices. The percentage of fans willing to buy tickets dropped from 14% to 10% over six months.
Key points
- Seton Hall study shows decline in World Cup ticket interest
- Interest dropped from 14% to 10% among fans
- Soccer fans' interest fell from 40% to 30%
A Seton Hall study shows a decline in interest in the 2026 World Cup in North America due to incredibly inflated prices.
The study surveyed fans who looked to purchase tickets in Oct. 2025 and asked the same questions in April to see if their interest persisted. They found that the 14% of fans willing to buy tickets dropped to just 10% in six months.
Mar 28, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Belgiumâs Charles De Ketelaere (17) reacts Wirth teammates after scoring a goal on a penalty kick against the USA at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Among subgroups, soccer fans fell from 40% to 30%, sports fans fell from 21% to 16% and avid sports fans fell from 33% to 25%.
âAcross three lotteries and a general sale, FIFA has made buying tickets to the World Cup incredibly difficult,â said Daniel Ladik, Ph.D., Methodologist of the Seton Hall Sports Poll. âBeyond the complexity of purchasing tickets, there are many group stage tickets priced at Super Bowl levelsâsomething most Americans cannot afford.â
The prices are definitely a driving factor in the lack of interest, as single-ticket prices to get into SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to see the USA play Paraguay at the start of the tournament all cost more than $1,000. Even if fans opt to go see a team other than the hosting USA, theyâll have to pay a several-hundred-dollar get-in price.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino blamed the prices for the tickets on the American resale market.
âIn 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,â Infantino said.
That, in turn, benefits FIFA, which will take 30% of all ticket resales on its official platform.
With just a month until the biggest stage in international soccer comes to American soil, most domestic fansârather than enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experienceâwill be watching from their couches.
The post World Cup Loses Fans With Expensive, Hard-to-Get Tickets, Study Says appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Q&A
Why has interest in the 2026 World Cup tickets declined?
Interest in the 2026 World Cup tickets has declined due to inflated prices, as indicated by a Seton Hall study.
What percentage of fans were willing to buy World Cup tickets in 2025?
In October 2025, 14% of fans expressed willingness to buy World Cup tickets, which dropped to 10% by April 2026.
How did interest in World Cup tickets change among different fan groups?
Interest among soccer fans decreased from 40% to 30%, sports fans from 21% to 16%, and avid sports fans from 33% to 25%.
