After just one full day of sales, FIFA has already raised ticket prices for several 2026 World Cup matches, responding to overwhelming demand that seems undeterred by already record-high costs.

Fans noticed increases of about 5% across at least nine games, including U.S. group matches and knockout rounds. For instance, Category 1 tickets for the U.S. men’s second group match rose from $535 to $565, while Category 3 tickets climbed from $185 to $205. Prices for a Round of 16 match at MetLife Stadium jumped from $895 to $980 before selling out entirely.

Tickets for the final — priced between $2,030 and $6,730 — sold out within hours, along with most of Mexico’s group-stage games. By Monday, nearly all lower-priced Category 3 and 4 tickets were gone.

FIFA’s “variable pricing” model, announced last month, adjusts prices based on real-time demand. Officials say this approach will continue throughout multiple sales phases, including the next “early ticket draw” beginning October 27.

Meanwhile, FIFA has also been selling “Right To Buy” (RTB) tokens through its FIFA Collect platform, which allow fans to purchase tickets later — but at an additional cost. Each token, sold for thousands of dollars, only grants access to buy tickets and does not include the ticket price itself.

Despite criticism of the high prices, FIFA’s strategy appears profitable. The first lottery phase attracted 4.5 million entrants for roughly 1 million tickets, and many matches sold out within hours.

With demand this strong, future phases could see even steeper prices — and fewer affordable options for ordinary fans.