Despite the high resale prices, tickets for the FIFA World Cup games scheduled for next summer in Vancouver and Toronto remain in high demand. The international soccer governing body confirmed the sale of over two million tickets for the tournament’s 104 matches to be held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Both Vancouver’s seven games and Toronto’s six games have quickly sold out, even before the final draw on Friday that will determine the teams playing in each match.
The exact percentage of tickets sold has not been disclosed as organizers are still managing ticket requests from participating federations. Canada’s chief tournament officer, Peter Montopoli, mentioned that tickets allocated for the Visa pre-sale and early ticket draw have already been fully sold. The availability of future tickets will depend on the distribution to participating member associations like Canada Soccer.
Fans from 212 countries and territories worldwide have purchased tickets so far, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico leading the sales. Tickets for group stage matches will have a starting price of $60 US and can go up to $6,730 for premium seats at the championship game in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19.
Venturing into the secondary market, fans not selected in the ticket lotteries may encounter significantly higher costs. Resale prices for a group match in Vancouver on June 13 were seen at C$798.10, while attending Canada’s first game in Toronto on June 12 could cost at least $1,765.74.
The Angus Reid Institute’s recent poll revealed that 71% of Canadians find ticket prices too expensive to attend the World Cup, especially among those expressing high interest in the tournament. FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani addressed concerns over ticket pricing, emphasizing that market dynamics dictate the costs.
FIFA aims to generate revenue from the World Cup, with 85% of the funds channeled back to member countries for supporting and enhancing the sport through various initiatives, including stadium construction and development programs.
For fans still looking to secure tickets, the next phase of ticket sales by FIFA will commence with a random selection draw starting on December 11 and running until January 13.