FIFA’s release of the full match calendar for the 2026 World Cup has triggered a rise in ticket resale prices across the United States and Canada.
The schedule announcement on December 5 and 6, 2025, led to spikes of nearly 300% in 78 out of the 91 matches being hosted in the two countries, driven mostly by games involving global powerhouses like Portugal and Argentina in the expanded 48-team tournament.
Data from resale platforms including StubHub and SeatGeek show that entry prices for high-demand fixtures quickly crossed US$2,000, with some listings climbing toward US$3,000.
The absence of resale regulations in the US and Canada has allowed secondary-market prices to soar, unlike in Mexico where legal controls have kept the cost of tickets for its 13 matches relatively steady.
Meanwhile, FIFA’s third phase of the official ticket lottery opens on December 11, 2025, with applications running until January 13, 2026, even though resale values are already far above the primary ticket range of US$60 to more than US$7,000 for the final.
Among the biggest jumps was Portugal vs Colombia, which saw an increase of 514% to roughly US$2,189, while low-interest matches such as Uzbekistan vs the Intercontinental Playoff team in Atlanta fell by about 42% to US$197.
Analysts say the spike is largely linked to the expected final World Cup appearances of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two of the tournament’s biggest attractions in a market where football’s popularity continues to rise.
Round-of-16 fixtures also saw substantial price movement as potential knockout pairings became clearer post-draw.
