Dozens of U.S. lawmakers have formally requested FIFA to lower ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup. A letter, orchestrated by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove and signed by 68 Members of Congress, argues that FIFA's use of dynamic pricing has made the tournament exclusionary for fans.
The lawmakers stated that extreme demand should not justify price gouging, which they believe undermines the event's accessibility. FIFA's dynamic pricing system, new for this World Cup, allows ticket costs to fluctuate based on real-time demand and popularity, leading to significantly higher prices on resale platforms.
This pricing model, criticized for prioritizing revenue over fan access, is expected to make the 2026 World Cup the most financially inaccessible to date, despite host cities' cooperation. Lawmakers are calling for a review of tournament policies that create challenges for fans and host communities, impacting fan festivals.
While FIFA has introduced a limited number of lower-priced tickets, lawmakers are urging the governing body to reallocate unallocated tickets at affordable prices, prevent price inflation as teams advance, reconsider dynamic pricing for future tournaments, and grant host cities more flexibility for fan festivals.