What is the Reason for the Massive Prizes Promised to World Cup Participants?

2026 World Cup prize money sources

From the organization of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA is projected to generate profits of 11 billion to 13 billion US dollars, or Rp 192 trillion to Rp 227 trillion (at an exchange rate of Rp 17,500 per US dollar) for the quadrennial tournament.

In addition to operational activities of FIFA and prizes for World Cup participants, the majority of that revenue is distributed to 211 member associations through development programs and the enhancement of the quality of world football by building football infrastructure, academies, and supporting national teams in member countries.

FIFA's main sources of commercial revenue come primarily from a number of key pillars that have experienced significant growth this cycle, including television broadcasting rights, ticket sales, customer service (hospitality), sponsorships, and licensing.

The sale of global broadcasting rights has become the largest contributor. The decision to expand the number of participants from 32 to 48 teams has increased the number of matches from 64 to 104 games. This provides more content to sell to broadcasters in major markets such as North America and Europe.

In the 2026 World Cup, FIFA aims to generate revenue from broadcasting rights of at least 4 billion US dollars (approximately 70 trillion IDR). Meanwhile, in the 2022 World Cup, the sale of broadcasting rights provided FIFA with an income of over 2.9 billion US dollars or around 49.6 trillion IDR.

Next, the target for ticket sales and hospitality soared to US$3 billion (Rp 595 trillion). FIFA implemented a dynamic pricing scheme that drew sharp criticism from football fans. The most expensive ticket for the final at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey, was priced at US$32,970 (around Rp 580 million). By comparison, the most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final held in Qatar was US$1,600 (Rp 28 million).

Meanwhile, commercial partnerships or sponsorships with global brands such as Adidas, Aramco, and Coca Cola are projected to contribute 2.7 billion US dollars.

World Cup Tickets Are Available, But Prices Are Skyrocketing

Less than a month before the tournament begins on June 11, tickets for most group matches of the 2026 World Cup are still available. However, these tickets are being sold at increasingly high prices, reaching up to 2,000 US dollars (Rp 34 million). FIFA continues to defend itself despite the high ticket prices being a point of concern for football supporter groups.

As of Saturday (2/5/2026), World Cup tickets are still available on the official FIFA website in the "last-minute sales" section. This sale is part of the fourth and final phase, which opened on April 1 and will continue until just before the end of the tournament. FIFA had previously released ticket sales in various phases since September 2025.

However, the cheapest price for the tickets is 380 US dollars (Rp 6.5 million) for seven matches. One of the tickets is for the match between World Cup debutant Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, United States.

Although there are only a few tickets left for some matches, fans who are willing and able to pay can still watch the games of major countries, such as the defending champion Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France, and England. Tickets for Argentina, featuring Lionel Messi, for instance, range from 2,475 USD to 2,925 USD (approximately 42.9 million IDR to 50.7 million IDR).

Ticket prices actually vary depending on the category, with Category 1 (front stand) being the most expensive and Category 4 the cheapest. However, Category 3 tickets for the match between the United States and Paraguay are listed at 1,120 US dollars (Rp 19 million), which is more expensive compared to Category 2 tickets for the match between Austria and Jordan, priced at 380 US dollars (Rp 6.5 million).

The match between Argentina and Austria (2,925 USD or 50.7 million IDR), Ecuador vs Germany (2,550 USD or 44.2 million IDR), Uruguay vs Spain (2,520 USD or 43.6 million IDR), and England vs Croatia (43.4 million IDR) are also among the most expensive. Meanwhile, tickets for the semifinals range from 9,660 USD to 11,130 USD.

2026 World Cup Ticket Prices Reach Rp 580 Million

One month before the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the situation is becoming increasingly uncertain. The high ticket prices are also a concern for football fans worldwide. The most expensive ticket for the 2026 World Cup final, which will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, reaches 32,970 US dollars (approximately 580 million IDR).

As a comparison, the most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final held in Qatar was 1,600 US dollars (Rp 28 million).

The European Football Fans Organization (FSE) has described the ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup as extortion and a betrayal of loyal fans. Many European football fans are unable to afford these tickets.

Meanwhile, FIFA hopes to generate an income of 13 billion US dollars from ticket sales for the World Cup matches. The tournament will kick off with the inaugural match at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, on June 11, 2026, between the host Mexico and South Africa.

The final match was held at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, which has a capacity of 82,500 spectators.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino blamed the pessimism surrounding the 23rd World Cup on negative media coverage.

Infantino stated that the ticket prices for watching the 2026 World Cup matches are still affordable because the majority of the matches (78 out of 104) will be held in the United States. These prices are in line with the standards in the United States. FIFA claims there are 500 million ticket requests compared to 50 million ticket requests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.

Although it is claimed that ticket sales are thriving, many tickets for several matches, including the inaugural match between the United States and Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, 2026, have still not been sold.

U.S. President Donald Trump supports Infantino's measures in organizing the FIFA World Cup 2026. However, he was also surprised to learn that the ticket prices for the inaugural match between the U.S. and Paraguay reached 1,000 U.S. dollars.

FIFA Accused of Betraying Supporters with Sky-High 2026 World Cup Ticket Prices

Football supporter groups have accused FIFA of "betrayal" regarding the unreasonable ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup. The international football federation has allocated 8 percent of tickets for the football associations of qualifying teams to be sold to the most dedicated supporters of each team.

However, the price list released by the German football federation reveals the fact of sky-high ticket prices for the event that will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Prices for the group stage vary, ranging from 180 US dollars (Rp 2.99 million) to 700 US dollars (Rp 11.6 million).

Meanwhile, the lowest price for the final match is 4,185 USD (IDR 69.6 million), while the highest is 8,680 USD (IDR 144.4 million). In the secondary market, tickets for the final, which will be held at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026, have been offered for 11,000 USD (IDR 183 million).

In addition to the prices deemed unreasonable, the issue at hand is the discrepancy in FIFA's statements regarding ticket prices. Previously, FIFA stated that the prices for tickets available for the group stage were only 60 US dollars (Rp 998,000), whereas the United States, when bidding to host seven years ago, offered hundreds of thousands of tickets at just 21 US dollars (Rp 349,000).

European supporters' organization, Football Supporters Europe (FSE), describes the current prices as "very expensive." The Football Association (FA) has also shared pricing information with the supporters' group of the "Three Lions," England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC). From the prices offered, a supporter must reach into their pockets for up to 7,000 US dollars (approximately 116 million IDR) to purchase tickets from the group stage to the final match.

In September, FIFA announced that ticket prices available on their website would range from 60 US dollars for group stage matches to 6,730 US dollars for the final match. FIFA stated that these prices could change after they adopted a ticket pricing policy for the first time.