FIFA has responded to Zohran Mamdani’s demand regarding the ticketing prices for the 2026 World Cup and it might not be what the New York City (NYC) mayoral hopeful would have expected.
In a video on Tuesday, September 9, the Democratic Party candidate launched a campaign titled “Game Over Greed” asking FIFA to let go of its “dynamic pricing model,” adding that the World Cup should be affordable for every New Yorker.
The campaign drew thousands of signatures soon after going live on the 33-year-old’s campaign website.
The International Federation of Association Football has now responded to Mamdani, saying, “Dynamic pricing is a developing market practice.”
For context, dynamic pricing is the practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions, particularly charging higher prices at a time of greater demand.
In their statement to New York Post, a FIFA spokesperson said, “We are focused on ensuring fair access to our game for existing but also prospective fans, and are offering group stage tickets starting at $60, a very competitive price for a major global sporting event in the U.S.”
They added that the association is setting aside tickets for specific fan categories that will be at a fixed price.
According to a report by The Athletic, FIFA expects to earn over $3 billion from World Cup ticket sales.
The World Cup is scheduled to happen from June 11 to July 19, 2026.