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FIFA chief Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices
TL;DR
FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended high World Cup ticket prices, citing demand and U.S. resale laws. Critics, including Football Supporters Europe, have labeled the prices as extortionate and filed a lawsuit against FIFA.
Key points
- FIFA president defends high World Cup ticket prices
- Prices reflect demand and U.S. resale laws
- Football Supporters Europe criticizes pricing structure
- FSE filed a lawsuit against FIFA over ticket prices
- Tickets for the final advertised at over $2 million each
Mentioned in this story
FIFAGianni InfantinoFootball Supporters Europe
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended World Cup ticket prices, insisting that football’s global governing body was obliged to take advantage of laws in the United States that allow tickets to be resold for thousands of dollars above face value.
Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, Infantino said the eye-watering prices reflected demand to watch the World Cup.
FIFA has faced searing criticism over the cost of World Cup tickets, with fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) branding the pricing structure “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal”.
FSE filed a lawsuit with the European Commission in March targeting FIFA over “excessive ticket prices” for the tournament.
FIFA’s own World Cup resale website, FIFA Marketplace, last week advertised four tickets to the July 19 final in New York at a cost of more than $2m each.
“If some people put on the resale market, some tickets for the final at $2m, number one, it doesn’t mean that the tickets cost $2m,” Infantino said.
“And number two, it doesn’t mean that somebody will buy these tickets,” Infantino said. “And if somebody buys a ticket for the final for $2m, I will personally bring him a hot dog and a Coke to make sure that he has a great experience.”
(Al Jazeera)
Fan groups have contrasted the difference in price of tickets for this summer with the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
The most expensive ticket for the final in 2022 was about $1,600 at face value, while in 2026, the most expensive ticket for the final is about $11,000 at its original price.
Infantino was adamant that the steep increase in face-value prices was justified.
“We have to look at the market – we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates,” Infantino said.
“In 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.
Q&A
Why are FIFA World Cup ticket prices so high?
FIFA World Cup ticket prices are high due to strong demand and U.S. laws that allow resale at significantly marked-up prices.
What did Gianni Infantino say about ticket prices?
Gianni Infantino stated that FIFA is obligated to take advantage of resale laws, which contribute to the high ticket prices.
What is Football Supporters Europe's stance on ticket prices?
Football Supporters Europe criticized the ticket pricing as extortionate and filed a lawsuit with the European Commission against FIFA.
How much are tickets for the World Cup final being resold for?
Tickets for the World Cup final on July 19 in New York were advertised for over $2 million each on FIFA's resale website.
