FIFA insists on dynamic market amid controversy over World Cup prices

Chicago (USA) (EFE).- With just over a month to go before the start of the World Cup, the skyrocketing prices of tickets on resale platforms in the United States continue to cause controversy, although FIFA insists on the ‘dynamic market law’, which allows users to adjust their economic request to the demand.

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In the American morning of this Wednesday, the cheapest tickets to see the final on July 19 at MetLife were selling for $9,263 on the online sales platform VividSeats. The most expensive ones cost $64,822. In recent days, tickets for the tournament final, the first in history with 48 participating teams, have gone on sale for more than two million dollars.

The resale of World Cup tickets impacts prices

Online ticket sales platforms operate legally in the United States and allow users to resell tickets at prices they determine, as long as there is someone willing to pay them.

This system adjusts the value of entries according to demand, which can lead to notable increases in highly popular events such as the NBA Finals, a Super Bowl, or the World Cup. However, those figures do not necessarily reflect the actual selling price. In many cases, these prices are an initial reference within the dynamic market and may be adjusted based on the actual interest of the buyers. “We have to observe the market. We are in the market where entertainment is the most developed in the world. That’s why we have to apply market prices,” said Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, in a recent speech in Los Angeles. “In the United States, reselling tickets is also allowed. So if they are sold at too low a price, those tickets will be resold at a much higher price. Although some people say that the prices of the tickets we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double our price,” he insisted.

A phenomenon that doesn’t only affect star matches

Prices skyrocket not only for the final, but also for less attractive matches, such as the debut of the United States national team against Paraguay in Los Angeles.

The cheapest ticket was selling for $942 on Wednesday morning, and the most expensive for $7,877. The debut of Argentina, the current World champion, against Algeria in Kansas City also has very high prices, ranging from 776 to 5,362 dollars. It should be noted that this dynamic market also implies a possible adverse effect. Without demand, tickets may see a significant drop in their prices as the date of the event approaches.