The 2026 FIFA world cup is set to kick off in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and it is expected to be the most expensive tournament in history.
According to Bloomberg, some people are reconsidering attending the event amid a range of concerns and controversies, including soaring ticket prices, rising travel and transportation costs, and fears surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Meanwhile, host cities are working to avoid financial losses by shifting some costs onto consumers and taxpayers. In the New York metropolitan area, where the World Cup final will be held, New Jersey Transit is charging $98 for a round-trip ticket to MetLife Stadium, compared with the usual fare of about $13.
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This is the first World Cup in which FIFA has implemented dynamic ticket pricing. The organization said demand has reached unprecedented levels, with more than 500 million ticket requests submitted during the first phase of sales.
The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey are investigating the ticketing process for potential violations of consumer protection laws.
Funding costs for security and transportation have become a serious concern. The U.S. government approved $625 million in grants for the 11 U.S. host cities, but it wasn’t distributed until March and still may not be enough to cover expenses.
The report noted that FIFA retains all revenue generated from World Cup matches, leaving host cities to recover their costs through tourism-related spending and other economic activity.
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Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College and author who has studied the economics of major sporting events, said the federal grants available to cities are “not nearly enough to deal with the potential security problems.” With cities facing significant security expenses and receiving “essentially zero revenues” directly from the tournament, he said, many are likely to incur losses. While some costs may be offset through local sponsorships and private donations, Zimbalist said, taxpayers will ultimately bear much of the remaining burden.
The football federation recently canceled World Cup tickets issued to about 60 fans who mistakenly got them for free because of a website error. “The tickets were allocated at no charge (0 USD) due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process,” FIFA said in a statement on Thursday.