FIFA defends record World Cup prices as 48-team tournament opens
FIFA’s expanded North American World Cup opens with record prices, record revenue expectations and a sharper access test for global football.
In 30 seconds
- FIFA says the 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
- FIFA’s tournament material lists 48 teams and 104 matches, up from the 32-team format used in 2022.
- Infantino said FIFA offered 130,000 tickets at $60 through national federations after criticism of prices.
- AP’s review of FIFA listings found regular final seats rising into five figures before the July 19 final.
FIFA (world football’s Zurich-based governing body, founded in 1904) owns the World Cup’s commercial rights and tournament rules. Gianni Infantino (FIFA president since 2016, re-elected in 2019 and 2023) has made expansion and revenue growth central to his tenure. The 2026 FIFA World Cup (the men’s tournament hosted from June 11 to July 19, 2026) is the first edition with 48 teams and 104 matches, according to FIFA’s tournament material. Donald Trump (United States president, in his second term since January 2025) chairs the White House World Cup task force for the U.S. host role. The United States, Canada and Mexico (the three co-host countries) share the tournament, with most matches in the U.S. Belgium’s Red Devils (Belgium’s men’s national football team) are in Group G with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, according to FIFA’s published schedule.
Background
FIFA’s commercial turn did not begin in 2026. FIFA’s Council approved expansion to 48 teams in January 2017, and FIFA later moved from a proposed 80-match format to 104 matches. The 2022 Qatar World Cup already tested football’s tolerance for political controversy, winter scheduling and human-rights scrutiny. AP’s comparison of FIFA price ranges shows the 2026 tournament has moved sharply above Qatar-era ticket levels, while FIFA says the larger prize-money and team-support package reflects the cost of playing across North America. The 1994 U.S. World Cup also commercialised the sport in a major U.S. market, but on a much smaller format.
The wider picture
The tournament sits inside a politically charged U.S. hosting environment. Trump chairs the U.S. World Cup task force, while FIFA’s leadership has stressed cooperation with the White House on access, security and logistics. That matters because the U.S. hosts most matches, and immigration, policing and international tensions can shape who can attend even when the sporting format is global.
Why now
The issue is timely because the World Cup opened on June 11 and Infantino defended ticket prices on the eve of the first match. Belgium’s own tournament begins within days, making price, access and scheduling questions immediate for Belgian fans.
What happens next
Watch whether FIFA releases more lower-priced national-federation tickets before Belgium’s June 15, June 21 and June 26 group matches, whether state-level U.S. ticket probes gain traction, and whether visible empty seats appear at high-priced fixtures outside marquee games.
What to do
Belgian fans considering travel should treat official prices and resale listings as moving targets and budget for long-haul flights, west-coast accommodation and local transport. Fans staying in Belgium should check match times carefully: the Group G geography means domestic viewing will depend as much on time zones as on sporting interest.
How we got here
- 2017-01-10
FIFA’s Council approved expansion of the men’s World Cup to 48 teams from 2026.
- 2023-03-14
FIFA confirmed the 2026 format would use 12 groups of four and 104 matches.
- 2026-04-28
FIFA’s Council increased support payments to participating federations for North American costs.
- 2026-06-10
Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices in Mexico City before the opening match.
- 2026-06-11
The 2026 World Cup opened in Mexico.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 1 official document + 2 independent reporting sources · Background sources: 1Explore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
- Published:
- 12 Jun 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
- Published:
- 11 Jun 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
- Published:
- 28 Apr 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
- Published:
- 11 Jun 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
- Published:
- 11 Jun 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 12 Jun 2026
Continue reading
This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.
This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and passed Belgium Impulse source, provenance and publication-quality checks. methodology.