Amman – Swiss-Italian FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Wednesday that the 104 2026 World Cup matches will be held with “full stands,” although there are still tickets available before the tournament starts on June 11.

Infantino said in an interview with CNBC, “The demand is there, every match will be held with full stands,” after the second phase of ticket sales ended in January.

According to the FIFA president, “508 million requests (to purchase tickets) were recorded within four weeks for approximately seven million available tickets, from more than 200 countries around the world.”

He added, “We have never seen anything like this before, and it is amazing,” noting that the International Federation “reserved a portion of the tickets for the last-minute sales phase,” which will begin in April and continue until the end of the World Cup on July 19.

Infantino touched on ticket prices, which fan associations described as “very expensive” and reaching record levels on resale platforms, saying, “It is like having 104 copies of the Super Bowl in one month,” referring to the NFL final, which is the most watched sporting event in the United States, adding that this “is naturally reflected in the prices.”

He explained, “Ticket prices are set, but you have, specifically in the United States, what is known as dynamic pricing, which makes prices rise or fall depending on demand and the importance of the match.”

He continued, “You can also resell your tickets through the official platforms, that is, the secondary market, and prices will rise again. This is part of the market.”

Speaking about this exceptional edition of the World Cup, which will include 48 teams and be held in three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico, Infantino estimated FIFA’s revenues at “$11 billion, and perhaps a little more.” But he stressed that “every dollar is reinvested in football in the 211 member states” of the International Federation.

AFP