Jason Burgos
With 2026 World Cup tickets going for absurd prices, US soccer great Tim Howard believes that if fans remain patient, prices will eventually drop so FIFA avoids a bunch of empty seats during matches.
We are just a couple of weeks away from the biggest sporting event on Earth, the World Cup. While the NFL’s Super Bowl and the Champions League Final draw tens of millions of viewers, FIFA’s World Cup is a global event that makes those games look mundane.
This year, American soccer fans have the rare opportunity to see World Cup games in person, with a bunch of matches happening around the United States for the first time in 30 years. However, many supporters of the game have not purchased tickets to upcoming matches because FIFA has set some ridiculous prices for them.
The average price for a World Cup ticket is currently over $1,000 for group stage games. And they increase exponentially once the elimination round begins. At a time when affordability is a big problem in the US, there are set to be a good number of empty seats in arenas for upcoming World Cup matches.
Tim Howard predicts significant World Cup ticket price drop soon
However, legendary US Men’s National Team goalie Tim Howard has offered frustrated fans hope. In a conversation with Sportsnaut to promote his new partnership with Lysol in conjunction with this year’s tournament, the three-time World Cup participant predicted ticket prices would go down as we get closer to the start of the event.
“It’s a major sporting event, and ticket prices have been high. They’re high for the Super Bowl, for the New York Knicks being in the NBA Finals, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Howard told Sportsnaut. “[But] I think the closer we get to the tournament, the tickets will become more affordable.
“That’s what I believe. I think a lot of huge events are this way. It’s a massive balance. Because you’re talking about affordability. And when it comes to the affordability in sporting events, it’s a choice. It’s a luxury,” he added. “Fifty percent of people will love that answer, and fifty percent of people will hate it.”
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 when Mexico faces South Africa and South Korea takes on Czechia. Games in the United States — matches will be spread across North America — begin the following day when the USMNT plays Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in California.
