Is there a more fair way to sell World Cup tickets?

"For millions of soccer fans, buying World Cup tickets has been an ordeal. My friends and I had signed up for updates from soccer's governing body, FIFA, and their emails about how to buy tickets felt a bit like receiving the fine print of an insurance policy in monthly digests. First there was a presale—but it was sponsored by Visa and only for people with Visa cards, and it was a lottery."

"A package of three matches for $775 was among the cheapest I saw, and not for Team USA or elite matchups like Brazil vs Morocco. If buying a ticket to a single group-stage game was an option, I didn't see it. Plus I had to coordinate with friends and look up the cost of flights and hotels in cities hosting matches—all before an imminent deadline."

"You could just browse and buy tickets on the FIFA website, but only expensive 'hospitality packages' that included VIP perks. Or you could buy 'special digital assets' (NFTs? really?) that resembled trading cards and could potentially earn you the right to buy tickets to certain matches."

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada for the first time since 1994, presented substantial challenges for fans attempting to purchase tickets. FIFA implemented a convoluted sales strategy involving multiple lotteries, presales restricted to Visa cardholders, and automatic credit card charges with unclear amounts. Affordable single-game tickets were unavailable, with minimum packages costing around $775 for three group-stage matches. Additional options included expensive VIP hospitality packages and NFT digital assets that might grant purchasing rights. The process required fans to coordinate with friends, research travel costs, and meet tight deadlines, ultimately discouraging many potential attendees from completing purchases.

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