New York Mayor Urges FIFA to Cut World Cup Ticket Prices

FIFA has found itself under mounting criticism following the launch of the third and final phase of ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the announcement of the match schedule, host cities and group allocations was met with global excitement, the accompanying ticket prices have sparked widespread concern, with many supporters describing them as excessive and out of step with previous tournaments.

The fiercest debate centres on the World Cup final, scheduled to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, part of the greater New York metropolitan area. FIFA’s top-tier tickets for the showpiece match have reportedly been priced at close to 9,000 US dollars, a figure that has shocked fans and analysts alike. By comparison, premium tickets for the final of the previous World Cup were available at nearly one-fifth of that cost, highlighting a dramatic escalation in pricing within a single tournament cycle.

Amid the growing discontent, New York’s Mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, has emerged as a prominent critic of FIFA’s ticketing strategy. Speaking in an interview with the popular YouTube channel Cooligans, Mamdani argued that ticket prices must be “fair and accessible” for local residents—particularly given that the region will host the most prestigious match of the tournament.

A central point of Mamdani’s criticism is FIFA’s use of dynamic pricing, a system under which ticket prices fluctuate based on demand and timing. While such models are common in the entertainment and airline industries, Mamdani warned that their application to the World Cup risks pricing ordinary supporters out of the stadiums. He urged FIFA to adopt fixed pricing and to introduce discounted allocations specifically for local fans, drawing comparisons with the ticketing approaches used during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

“New York is already one of the most expensive cities in the country,” Mamdani noted. “The excitement around the World Cup is enormous, but when people see these prices—combined with dynamic pricing—we have to say enough is enough. Previous World Cups showed that fixed prices and local concessions are both possible and effective.”

Mamdani emphasised that one of his key objectives during the tournament will be ensuring that as many New Yorkers as possible can experience matches live, rather than being forced to watch from home due to prohibitive costs. While FIFA has indicated that a limited number of tickets will be made available at fixed prices, the mayor-elect insists that further measures are needed.

“We do not want the World Cup to become an event watched only on screens,” he said. “We want supporters in the stadiums, in the stands, creating the atmosphere that makes football what it is.”

The 23rd FIFA World Cup will begin on 11 June 2026, with the final taking place on 19 July. The New York area is set to host eight matches, placing it firmly at the heart of the tournament—and at the centre of the debate over who truly gets to be part of football’s greatest spectacle.

Key Ticket Price Comparisons