FIFA addresses Zohran Mamdani’s requests regarding World Cup ticket prices

FIFA’s Response to Concerns Over World Cup Ticket Pricing

FIFA has addressed the campaign by New York City Mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani, which calls for the removal of a dynamic pricing strategy for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. This event will be hosted jointly by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

A petition titled “Game over Greed,” launched by Democratic Socialists, demands that FIFA abandon this pricing model. The petition urges FIFA to cap ticket prices and allocate 15% of tickets at reduced rates specifically for local residents.

A FIFA spokesperson defended the dynamic pricing, referring to it as “developing market practices”. The spokesperson assured that there would be fixed prices for certain categories of fans, emphasizing fairness in access to tickets, with group stage tickets starting at $60.

In a social media video, Mamdani raised concerns that World Cup tickets, especially those for matches at MetLife Stadium, might be resold at inflated prices on FIFA’s official secondary market platform.

During a press conference at St. James Park in the Bronx, the mayoral candidate criticized the World Cup for potentially exploiting the event for profit rather than promoting the sport to the community.

The 33-year-old state legislator, representing Queens, noted that the petition had already garnered thousands of signatures shortly after being posted on his campaign website.

On Wednesday, the pre-order ticket sign-up for the 2026 World Cup began. Earlier this month, FIFA had confirmed the use of dynamic pricing, with group stage tickets starting at $60 and going up to $6,730 for the highest-priced tickets at the final event in MetLife Stadium.

According to reports, FIFA anticipates generating $3 billion from ticket sales for the event. A FIFA spokesperson mentioned that the official resale platform offers fans secure ways to buy and sell tickets in compliance with US law.

The spokesperson elaborated that they need a ticket model that balances providing fan access and ensuring value retention for reinvestment in the sport. They stressed that, as a non-profit organization, FIFA aims to reinvest the revenue from the World Cup into its 211 member associations to support the growth of football globally.