New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani says he will appoint a “World Cup czar” to push FIFA to lower ticket prices for the 2026 tournament.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist and avid soccer fan, has been openly critical of FIFA’s decision to let ticket prices fluctuate based on demand, instead of selling them for a flat rate based on seating, like what was done at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But as mayor, can he actually do anything about high ticket prices?
“Yes. This is going to be me using my platform to speak up to FIFA at every opportunity,” Mamdani said Sunday on CBS News New York’s “The Point with Marcia Kramer.”
Fans fear getting priced out
FIFA’s ticket pricing plan for the tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada has drawn international outrage, as soccer fans worry about getting priced out, especially with eight matches, including the Final, coming next summer to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“The cheapest ticket to the World Cup Final, which will be here in New York City and New Jersey, according to the Croatian Federation, is $4,000,” Mamdani said. “That’s five times more expensive than it was to go to the Final in Qatar.”
The group Football Supports Europe contends it would cost fans nearly $7,000 USD to follow their team from its first match to the Final in 2026. Tickets to the previous Final were priced at $380 for an obstructed view seat to $5,850 for one of the best seats in the stadium, according to FIFA.
FIFA is also involved in ticket resales for the upcoming tournament, charging secondary sellers and buyers 15% each.
“I want the price to be something that’s affordable. This, you’d have to mortgage your house to be able to afford that for a lot of people. And when it was last in the United States, you could get to the final in California for less than $200. That needs to be what we’re looking for,” Mamdani said.
MetLife Stadium matches in high demand
The first game at MetLife Stadium will be a Group Stage match pitting Brazil, one of the most successful teams in World Cup history, against Morocco on June 13.
The stadium holds a whopping 82,500 fans for soccer, but demand appears to be very high to start and it’s likely to rise as the stakes get higher later in the tournament.
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