A single match cost me thousands of dollars at 2026's World Cup of the 1% | Leander Schaerlaeckens

For those with a taste for the finer things in life and deep pockets to match, the World Cup promises an unforgettable experience – but not necessarily one that will be universally accessible. As I soon found out, scoring tickets to this year's highly anticipated event is akin to winning a lottery.

While Fifa had promised an average group stage ticket price of $305, seven years ago, inflation has taken its toll, and prices have skyrocketed to the tune of $60 per ticket for category 4 seats – if you can even find them. And it was not just me who was hit with sticker shock; in a pre-sale lottery that drew in over 4.5 million hopefuls, including 28 people from my very own men's league group chat, tickets were snatched up in the blink of an eye.

For many, the World Cup has long been an exclusive club, and it appears this year will be no different. In the pre-sale lottery, only a handful of us managed to snag decent tickets at a price that wouldn't break the bank – but even then, transfers proved to be a major hurdle.

With those who can afford the steep ticket prices facing logistical challenges in securing their seats, it leaves one wondering: is this year's World Cup truly for everyone? The financial burden may push out all but the most affluent fans.

OMG I cant even right now tickets to world cup r like 60 bucks and they got like 4.5 million ppl applyin for em??? thats insane! i mean id love to watch a match live but 1 ticket price is not exactly cheap... its like fifa is makin it hard for us regular folks to enjoy the event too

OMG, I mean like what's going on with these FIFA ticket prices ?? They're literally astronomical! I get that inflation is a thing and prices rise, but $60 per ticket is insane. And don't even get me started on the pre-sale lottery – 4.5 million people trying to snag tickets at the same time? That's just crazy talk . It feels like only the super rich or those with strong connections can afford to go. Like, I'm all for enjoying the game and having a good time, but it shouldn't be exclusive to the elite. Maybe they should rethink their ticket pricing strategy or make some changes to make it more accessible?

The World Cup has become super exclusive ! I mean, I get that some people can afford those high-end tickets, but what about the rest of us who wanna watch our fave teams play? $60 a pop is crazy talk ! I was trying to score tickets for my squad and it was like trying to solve a puzzle with no solution . Pre-sale lottery was supposed to help, but transfer issues left me hanging . Can't we just make World Cup tickets more accessible for everyone?

I feel so bad for people who wanna watch the World Cup live $60 per seat is crazy expensive! They should at least offer more affordable options for groups of friends or families . I mean, it's not fair that only a handful got decent tickets and had to deal with transfer issues . It's like they're saying only the rich can afford to enjoy this big event .

I feel like, on one hand, $60 per ticket is super steep and only those with deep pockets can afford it . I mean, I get that inflation is a thing, but come on! On the other hand, think about all the passion, excitement, and joy that football brings to people's lives! It's not just about the tickets, right? Maybe FIFA could explore other ways to make the experience more inclusive for fans who can't shell out crazy cash. Like, perhaps they could offer more affordable options or even allow fans to watch from their own backyards? Just a thought, but I'm sure there's got to be a way to make the World Cup more accessible to everyone!

when fifa makes ur ticket price go from 305 to 600 and u still cant get tickets 28 ppl in a men's league group chat can't even afford it who else got snatched by the lottery

I'm totally stoked about the World Cup, but honestly, I'm a bit miffed at how expensive those tickets are . I mean, $60 per ticket for category 4 seats is just outrageous! It's like they're pricing out the regular folks who actually care about the game .

And don't even get me started on the pre-sale lottery system – it's basically a crapshoot. I know some of my mates from the men's league group chat were trying to snag tickets, and it sounds like a lot of people got shut down pretty quickly .

It's not just the cost that's the issue, though – it's also the logistical challenges that come with getting your hands on decent seats . I've seen some reports where fans are having trouble transferring their tickets to friends or family members, which is just frustrating .

Overall, I think this year's World Cup might be more of an exclusive club than we were led to believe . The financial burden could really push out a lot of casual fans who just want to enjoy the game with their mates .

I FEEL LIKE FIFTY-YEAR-OLD MAN WHEN I HEAR ABOUT TICKET PRICES FOR THE WORLD CUP!!! $60 FOR A CATEGORY 4 SEAT?!?! THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!! I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S BEEN 7 YEARS SINCE FIFA FIRST ANNOUNCED THOSE PRICES, BUT COME ON!!! INFLATION OR NOT, PEOPLE STILL NEED TO SEE THEIR FAVOURITE TEAMS PLAY LIVE AND IT SHOULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN THAT!!!

omg i feel you about the world cup tickets i mean dont get me wrong, its gonna be an epic event and all but $60 per ticket 4 categories below is just crazy like, i know some ppl are super into soccer and willing to splurge but what about those who actually wanna enjoy the game without breaking the bank? it feels like fifa is more worried about makin a profit than makin the tournament accessible to everyone.

I don't get why Fifa can't just sell tickets at a reasonable price . I mean, they're making bank off sponsorships and TV rights, so there's no reason ticket prices gotta skyrocket like this. And what's with the pre-sale lottery? It's just another way to keep people out of reach for regular folks. I remember when the World Cup was more about the football than it was about who you knew or had deep pockets . Now it feels like an exclusive club, and that's kinda sad .

I feel so bad for all those people trying to get tickets to the World Cup... $60 for a seat?! It's crazy how inflation has increased prices so much since 2018 . And it's not just about the cost, but also finding a ticket in the first place - the pre-sale lottery was insane! I can imagine being part of that group chat and feeling like you're playing for a spot on the team . It really makes me wonder if this World Cup is truly accessible to everyone... not if they have the money , but also if they can just get a ticket in the first place . Maybe we need to find ways to make it more inclusive for fans from all walks of life .