NEW YORK — Soccer fans hoping to attend matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States may find that a single ticket costs as much as — or more than — a monthly mortgage payment in several host cities, according to an analysis by Realtor.com citing data from PropertyShark.
The World Cup, which begins today in Mexico City and will be played across 16 cities in North America over six weeks, is expected to draw between five million and six million spectators, according to FIFA.
PropertyShark’s analysis found that in five of the 11 U.S. host markets, the least expensive available match tickets exceed the typical monthly mortgage payment in those cities.
The Priciest Tickets
Among the cities where ticket prices rival or surpass housing costs:
- New York City: The World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 carries the lowest ticket price of $7,256. The average monthly mortgage payment in the New York market is $4,096, while average rent is $4,872.
- Dallas: The least expensive tickets for the July 14 semifinal are priced at $2,391, slightly above the area’s average monthly mortgage payment of $2,351.
- Atlanta: Cheapest tickets for the July 15 semifinal are listed at $2,208, compared with an average mortgage payment of $2,149.
- Kansas City: Tickets for a July 11 semifinal start at $1,567, exceeding the average monthly mortgage payment of $1,477.
- Miami: Tickets for a June 27 match between Colombia and Portugal start at $2,700, roughly equal to both the city’s average mortgage payment of $2,731 and average rent of $2,696.
Prices Could Rise Further
According to the analysis, ticket prices could climb further as the tournament progresses and teams advance through the knockout rounds.
By contrast, some host cities appear more affordable when compared with local housing costs.
In San Francisco, the least expensive tickets for a group-stage match on July 1 were priced at $682. While still costly, that compares with an average monthly mortgage payment of $6,842 and average monthly rent of $3,635 in the market, according to PropertyShark.
Other U.S. host cities include Houston, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Many Fans Discouraged
The high cost of attendance appears to be discouraging some fans. Realtor.com cited a survey of 1,008 U.S. soccer fans conducted by LiveSportsonTV that found 52% had abandoned plans to purchase World Cup tickets because of ticket prices.
