Fifa World Cup 2026 vs Qatar 2022: The astonishing 10-fold ticket price jump you need to know

The ticket draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which saw over 4.5 million fans compete for a chance to buy seats last week, immediately exposed an astronomical pricing structure that has triggered significant global backlash. While the full price list has not been formally revealed by FIFA, fans who were successful in the draw are listing the prices online after spending hours navigating the digital queues. The confirmed figures, particularly when compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar, have confirmed fears that the event will be the most expensive in history.

The contrast is most starkly illustrated by the massive increases seen across all categories, with the price jumps for Category 4 (Cat 4) tickets historically the most accessible and affordable option being especially shocking. It is important to note that Categories 1, 2, and 3 have also seen substantial price increases, but the Cat 4 jump is the most scrutinized as it represents the baseline cost for the average supporter.

The image comparison highlights an astronomical leap in cost, effectively pricing out the average football supporter.

The most dramatic increases are not confined to the premium seats but are felt most acutely in the cheapest category:

Opening Match: A Cat 4 ticket for the opening game has seen a near tenfold increase, jumping from just $55 in Qatar to a staggering $560 in 2026. This means the cheapest ticket now costs more than the most expensive Category 1 group stage ticket ($575) in the prior tournament.

Group Stage: The entry point for the average fan—a Group Match ticket—has increased from a token $11 to $100, nearly a ninefold rise.

Final Match: The biggest shock comes with the Final, where the cheapest ticket has soared from $206 to $2,030, representing another near tenfold increase. Crucially, the cheapest seat for the 2026 Final now costs more than the most expensive Category 1 Final ticket ($1,607) did in 2022.

This astronomical jump has led to widespread fan backlash on social media, with many netizens expressing outrage that the most affordable seats are now priced like premium tickets from previous tournaments. The consensus is that by making even the cheapest tickets prohibitively expensive, FIFA is making the 2026 World Cup increasingly inaccessible to low and middle income football enthusiasts across the globe.

Further fueling the backlash are new policies FIFA is adopting for the 2026 tournament.

Dynamic Pricing Model: FIFA is implementing a 'dynamic' pricing model, meaning ticket prices for matches deemed high demand could be raised significantly during later sales periods. Experts note that this system, common in the North American market, could disproportionately benefit Americans who can purchase last minute resale tickets at lower than face value, while "locking out foreign fans" who are unable to travel overseas without advanced planning.

Resale Fees: FIFA will also implement a 15% charge on both the buyer and seller of tickets resold via its official platform, further increasing the cost for fans who use the legitimate resale market.

For the final, general admission tickets range from $2,030 to $6,370 (Cat 4 to Cat 1), and with Hospitality tickets yet to go on sale, the ultimate cost of attendance will almost certainly be priced significantly higher.