How steep World Cup ticket prices affect Caribbean football

By: Quinn St. Juste

Caribbean football could gain significant financial benefits from the FIFA World Cup, but how this money is raised is a hot topic. For the next 39 days, the tournament will grab global attention and spark debate among sports fans.

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the eyes of the world will lock onto Mexico City as co-hosts Mexico face South Africa to kick off the tournament. But even before the first match, experienced observers are warning that rising ticket prices are making it harder for regular fans to attend.

For a regular group-stage match where the host country isn’t playing, Category 3 general admission tickets now start at US$120. That’s a huge 74% jump from the same seats at Qatar 2022.

On top of that, tickets for the World Cup Final have gone up by 236.1%, which is the biggest price increase between finals in FIFA’s history.

Even the $60 locked tier, introduced by FIFA to address public criticism, is only available to verified loyal fans who buy through their national federations. Still, this price is 445.5% higher than previous entry-level tickets.

FIFA, which is a registered non-profit, says these high ticket prices are not about making money for themselves. Instead, they argue that the money is essential for developing football around the world. This is where smaller, developing members of CONCACAF could benefit.

When speaking at the CNBC Invest in America Forum regarding the projected $11-plus billion in revenue driven by the World Cup’s massive commercial and ticket sales, FIFA President Gianni Infantino explicitly tied the profits to youth and grassroots infrastructure:​

“That [revenue] goes into 211 countries all over the world, to allow football projects, academies, stadiums, pitches, competitions for girls, for boys, in 211 countries – more than the UN – to be played and organised. Three-quarters of them would probably not be able to have organised sport without the advance that they receive from a competition like the World Cup.”​

FIFA pools all World Cup revenues, including ticket sales, and redistributes them globally. Because commercial and ticket revenues for this tournament cycle have shattered expectations, pushing projected totals toward $14-$15 billion, FIFA announced at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver that funding for the upcoming Forward 4.0 cycle will increase by another 20%. This means smaller member territories, including those in CARICOM, could receive more development funding in the coming years.​

St Lucia Times spoke with Tennyson Glasgow, a football commentator from Saint Lucia, to get his thoughts on how small countries like Fair Helen could benefit from these higher prices.

“FIFA may have done their homework as well to realise that when it comes to sports in that part of the world, people really go out, especially for the fan experience, and that comes at a cost,” Glasgow said. “We’re talking about the best footballers globally. It’s not going to be cheap. Of course, FIFA would want to maximise that. ​

“We have seen records of FIFA always living up to the expectation in terms of taking care of their member countries. So, I’m certainly saying that yes, Saint Lucia, as a small nation, yet a member of FIFA, will benefit, especially when it comes to grassroots programmes, female football, and of course, we might just see some facilities being improved or some new ones may be placed.”​

Still, the main question is whether regular fans should have to pay so much to support this development. Some critics say taking billions from fans in host countries, while calling it sports philanthropy, is actually unfair. Well-known figures, such as California Attorney General Rob Bonta, have criticised FIFA for “misleading ticketing practices”. Even US President Donald Trump said he “wouldn’t pay it either” when asked about the high prices.

Ultimately, these higher ticket prices are a double-edged sword. The extra money, along with big deals from broadcasters and sponsors, will help grow football at the grassroots level. But for regular fans who can’t afford a ticket, it’s still a tough pill to swallow.