After the exit of the host nation, the United States, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal from the FIFA World Cup 2026, the ticket market for the knockout stages has experienced a notable transformation this week.
Portugal’s narrow 1-0 loss to current European champions Spain marked the end of Ronaldo’s aspirations in the tournament. This outcome coincided with a steep decline in ticket prices, as the absence of one of football’s most prominent figures has led to decreased interest in matches that might have attracted higher prices had Portugal advanced to the quarter-finals.
Similarly, co-hosts the United States were eliminated prior to the quarter-finals, suffering a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in Seattle on Monday. Had Portugal triumphed over Spain and the USA overcome Belgium, a potential quarter-final clash between the two would have likely generated significantly greater fan engagement, further elevating ticket prices and demand.
A report from the ticket search platform SeatPick highlights that the average entry price for this year’s quarter-finals has fallen by 31.5% in the last one to two days and by 50.4% over the past three days. Additionally, the number of tickets listed on the secondary market has surged to 49,415, a sharp increase from the 28,285 available at the start of the tournament.
While semifinal ticket prices have also decreased, they could rebound depending on the matchups. For instance, a highly anticipated semifinal between France and Spain at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on July 14, or an England-Argentina showdown in Atlanta on July 15, would likely drive demand in the resale market.
According to GameTime, the current ticket pricing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is as follows:
Semifinal 1 (Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98) — Dallas, July 14
Get-in: $2,320 | Median: $5,193 | Maximum: $19,365 | ▼ 42% from the peak on June 24 ($4,931)
Semifinal 2 (Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100) — Atlanta, July 15
Get-in: $2,708 | Median: $6,152 | Maximum: $31,850 | ▼ 52% from the peak on June 24 ($5,645)
World Cup Final — New Jersey, July 19
Get-in: $9,015 | Median: $16,904 | Maximum: $67,610 | ▼ 20% from the peak on June 24 ($11,132).
