London: Sky Sports chief reporter, Kaveh Solhekol, has criticized the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) for the excessively high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup. He revealed that his recent checks showed a ticket listed for $11.5 million on FIFA's official resale platform at the MetLife Stadium in the United States.
According to Ghana Web, the veteran journalist expressed his frustration, noting that the section of the stadium where the ticket was being sold was not an exceptional area, describing it as 'one of the worst tickets in the stadium.' Solhekol highlighted the absurdity of the pricing, suggesting that it might be a publicity stunt or a deliberate attempt to draw attention to the issue of exorbitant ticket prices on FIFA's official platform.
Solhekol revealed that FIFA benefits from these prices by taking 30% of the revenue from each sale. Despite FIFA's claim that the profits are reinvested into the sport, Solhekol argued that the organization should regulate ticket prices to protect fans and stakeholders. He emphasized that FIFA's current stance allows them to profit significantly, as they take 15% commission from both the buyer and the seller in such transactions.
The journalist mentioned that they reached out to FIFA for a comment but had yet to receive a response. Historically, FIFA has maintained that its operations are not-for-profit and that it has limited control over resale prices. However, the financial gain from such high-priced sales remains a contentious issue.