Are We Being Priced Out of Culture?

The World Cup is scheduled for the US, Canada, and Mexico, but attention has shifted from football to money. Ticket prices have become extremely high, including resale listings reaching $2 million and FIFA selling remaining seats for over $32,000. The cheapest seats for the USA’s opening match against Paraguay cost $1,120, which drew criticism even from Donald Trump. Getting to games is also expensive, with NJ Transit raising Penn Station to MetLife Stadium fares from about $13 to $150 before cutting them to $98 after backlash. FIFA uses dynamic pricing and takes 15% from both sellers and buyers on its resale site. Zohran Mamdani secured 1,000 MetLife tickets for $50 for New York residents.

"Back in April, a handful of resale tickets for the World Cup final were listed at $2 million, with best remaining seats now being sold by FIFA for over $32,000. The cheapest seats for the USA's opening game against Paraguay are $1120, which even Donald Trump said was too much, telling The New York Post, "I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you.""

"FIFA is using a dynamic pricing model for its World Cup tickets, meaning the cost fluctuates with demand. With the organisation also taking 15% each from sellers and buyers on its own resale site, it's easy to see how this looks like a giant money grab. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been widely criticised for his approach (if you're making Trump seem reasonable then you really must be problematic), something he's defended by pointing to the resale market in the US, where it's not illegal to resell tickets at higher (usually much, much higher) than their face value."

"NJ Transit hiked the price of journeys from Penn Station in Manhattan to the MetLife stadium (which is hosting eight games, including the final), from around $13 to $150. Following a massive backlash, prices have been slashed to $98."

"NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who himself paid $700 to sit in the nosebleeds at Madison Square Garden to watch the New York Knicks play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, was able to secure 1000 tickets at $50 for matches played at MetLife Stadium for New York residents"

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