​As the 2026 World Cup moves toward its final stretch, ticket prices have seen a significant drop over the last week. Data from TicketData.com, which monitors prices across multiple third-party resale platforms, shows that the seven remaining matches — three quarterfinals, two semifinals, the third-place game, and the final — have each fallen anywhere from 25% to 70% in price during the seven days ending Friday, July 10. This decline comes partly in the wake of the elimination of all three host nations in the round of 16, which has dampened demand and driven prices downward.
Among the matches, the largest one-week price drop occurred for the quarterfinal clash between Spain and Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 10. A U.S. showdown with Spain had been a possibility, but Belgium’s 4-1 upset of the United States on Monday, July 6, disrupted those plans and contributed to an approximate 70% decrease in prices for that quarterfinal over the past seven days. Despite this sharp decline, entry prices remain substantial: the lowest price to attend Spain versus Belgium remained above $1,100 as of Friday morning.
In Miami, Saturday’s quarterfinal featuring England against Norway has seen its average price fall by about 46% in the last week. This drop is, in part, a spillover effect of England’s Round of 16 victory over Mexico. While England draws strong attendance, demand for a Mexico quarterfinal in Miami would likely have been higher given El Tri’s large following in the United States. Even so, the get-in price for the England-Norway matchup was still over $2,100 as of Friday morning.
FIFA’s attendance figures through the round of 16 reflected a robust level of interest in the tournament. The governing body reported more than 6.2 million fans had attended matches by the end of the round of 16, with 99.7% of available seats filled and an average crowd size of 65,204 per match. These numbers illustrate that while overall demand remains strong, the price dynamics on secondary markets can shift rapidly based on which teams are still alive and the perceived draw of the remaining matches.
Ticket prices for World Cup 2026 games have long been a thorny issue for fans since tickets first went on sale in the fall. In response to the lingering concerns over affordability, FIFA has faced ongoing scrutiny. Notably, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the still-high ticket prices in the United States, arguing that the fees align with the prominent, entertainment-forward U.S. market. “We have to look at the market—we are in the market in which entertainment is the most developed in the world. So we have to apply market rates,” Infantino stated at a conference, defending the pricing strategy despite the criticism from fans seeking relief at the box office.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY and has been updated to reflect the current trend of falling ticket prices as host nations exit the competition, offering renewed context for fans considering last-minute purchases. As the tournament concludes, fans should expect continued price fluctuations across remaining matches, with demand likely tied to the continuing performance and popularity of the teams that advance.