MANCHESTER, England

Even though the prices for World Cup tickets are shockingly high, millions of fans are eager to attend soccer’s largest event.

With the tournament set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, FIFA president Gianni Infantino mentioned the demand is so intense that a lottery will be necessary to distribute tickets. He acknowledged that resale prices could be significantly higher.

“In almost a century of the World Cup, FIFA has sold around 50 million tickets,” Infantino said during a recent talk at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Leading up to the World Cup in four weeks, we’ve received ticket requests that equal 1,000 years of World Cups at once. It’s truly unique and incredible.”

Unfortunately, many fans might end up on resale sites where tickets could be available at inflated prices.

On FIFA’s own resale platform this week, tickets for the finals were listed as high as $230,000. While FIFA doesn’t control resale prices, it does take a 30% commission from sales, which allows for some profit from resales.

Infantino commented on the situation, stating that in the U.S., “reselling tickets on platforms is completely legal… so we have to allow it.”

He noted that all 104 matches would sell out, indicating that resale prices are likely to skyrocket.

Many soccer enthusiasts are frustrated with the ticket pricing methods for this year’s tournament. FIFA charges up to $8,680 per ticket, but in response to criticism, it will also provide a limited selection of $60 tickets per game to the 48 participating national federations.

Costs can climb even more in the secondary market if sellers aim for hefty profits.

Resale platforms are common in the U.S., where original ticket prices can soar. For example, NBATickets.com features the NBA’s official resale marketplace, letting sellers set their own prices, albeit with fees.

On FIFA’s Marketplace, prices are also established by sellers, and the steeply inflated listings underscore the rising costs for fans, even as governing bodies sell tickets at face value and stand to gain additional profits.

The starting price for Category 1 tickets to the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium is $8,680, but dynamic pricing will be used for the first time at this World Cup, so prices may vary.

This week, the lowest price on FIFA’s Marketplace for a similar ticket was $16,000, almost double the original.

If sold at that price, FIFA’s 30% fee would amount to a profit of $4,800.

The fan group Football Supporters Europe has accused FIFA of “gross betrayal” regarding the pricing strategies and criticized its resale platform.

FSE executive director Ronan Evine expressed to the Associated Press that he suspects “a significant portion of tickets sold on resale platforms exist purely for profit.” Other sites also offer World Cup tickets.

FIFA claims that its platform is a secure avenue for fans to resell tickets.

For the previous World Cup in Qatar, FIFA had reduced its share from resale sales and implemented a fee of 5% or 2 Qatari riyals ($0.50), whichever was greater, for both buyers and sellers, controlling resale prices in the process.

This time, the approach is different.

FIFA remarked in a statement that this change reflects the distinct legal treatment of secondary ticket markets in the U.S. and Canada compared to many other regions.

“We aim to ensure fair access to the game for both current and future fans. Our resale rates align with industry trends in North America across various sports and entertainment sectors,” they stated.

Last month, there was public outcry when FIFA released its latest general sale, with ticket prices ranging from $140 to $8,680.

In defending its pricing model, FIFA argued that it “regularly matches existing market practices for major entertainment and sporting events in venues, including football.”

During his speech in Davos, Infantino admitted, “We faced backlash for the ticket prices, which are significantly expensive. The main critics came from Germany and England.”

“Currently, America leads in ticket requests; Germany is second, and England is third, as everyone wants to come and participate.”