Some of the tickets for the final between Argentina and Spain have reached $2.3 million (around Rs640 million) on FIFA’s official resale platform.
According to Al Jazeera, the sharp rise in prices has increased criticism that ordinary fans may find it almost impossible to watch the historic match inside the stadium.
The report said the expected meeting between Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal has caused an exceptional rise in demand, pushing resale prices to record levels.
No tickets were available on FIFA’s website on Saturday, while prices on the official resale platform ranged from around $10,000 to $2.3 million.
Almost all matches during the tournament remained sold out, with Reuters reporting that more than half of the 72 group-stage matches were played in full stadiums. Most of the remaining games also had only a few hundred empty seats.
The 48-team World Cup, the largest in history, has attracted extraordinary interest from supporters.
Group-stage tickets were initially priced at $575, more than double the highest-priced group ticket at the 2022 World Cup.
Hundreds of final tickets were still available at around $7,000 on Wednesday, leading to speculation that FIFA had raised prices too much.
However, experts said the situation was linked to a strategy known as slow ticketing, in which organisers release a limited number of tickets to increase demand and encourage quicker buying decisions.
The relatively relaxed ticket resale laws in the United States have also contributed to higher prices, as resellers have significant freedom to set their own rates.
In contrast, in co-host Mexico, resellers were not allowed to sell tickets above the price they originally paid.
According to US magazine Forbes, this World Cup has become the most expensive sports event in American history.
Small pieces of grass from the World Cup final pitch are also being sold as souvenirs for at least $450, drawing criticism from supporters.
.jpg)
