WC 2026 prices vs WC 2022 reality: my experience after attending 9 matches

Hey everyone, I’ve been following a lot of discussions and threads in this subreddit about WC 2026 ticket prices, so I wanted to share my experience from attending 9 matches during the 2022 World Cup

First off, ticket prices in 2022 were less than half of what we’re seeing now. Even back then, getting tickets directly from FIFA was a bit of a luck — virtual queues, website crashes, constant errors, you name it. After all that, I only managed to get one ticket directly from FIFA through the LMA phase.

I paid for a Category 1 ticket for Brazil vs Serbia (yes, that match — the one with Richarlison’s scissor kick goal), but FIFA placed me at the top of the middle section. All the better middle‑row seats were clearly reserved for hospitality packages and FIFA/sponsors, which looks very similar to what’s happening now for 2026.

That match completely changed my perspective.

Honestly, if you love football, you need a seat inside the stadium — anywhere. You’re there for the atmosphere. If perfect viewing angles are your priority, you’re genuinely better off buying a big TV and watching from home.

For the remaining matches, I bought all my tickets from the FIFA resale marketplace. FIFA charged 5% from the seller and 5% from the buyer, and they fully controlled pricing. In most cases (except very high‑demand games), tickets were listed at face value + 5%, meaning:

• As a seller, you lose 5%
• As a buyer, you pay 5% extra

I checked the resale marketplace every single day. The strategy was simple: buy the cheapest ticket available. It’s a speed game — grab the lowest‑priced ticket and check out immediately.

Almost all the resale tickets I bought were on match day or the day before, because people who couldn’t attend would list their tickets last minute. Also, reselling at crazy prices wasn’t allowed back then — FIFA fixed the prices — so there were far fewer scalpers. I just went for the cheapest option every time.

Since I was a Qatar resident, logistics were incredibly easy. Every venue was reachable within 2 hours, if you were staying 100 km away from Doha:

• Drive to nearby parking areas (no parking fees)
• Drive to a metro station (free metro on match day for ticket holders)

Everything was smooth except one thing — getting back home after matches. That was not easy. Long barricades, massive queues, crowded metros, crazy Uber/taxi demand, and manually controlled traffic signals made exits painfully slow.

I’ve never been to any of the 2026 stadiums, but from what I’ve read here, many of them aren’t purpose‑built football stadiums. That absolutely affects the viewing experience. If it’s a proper soccer stadium (not a track‑and‑field setup), you’re usually fine sitting almost anywhere. Qatar had one venue like this — I watched a match from a corner seat, very far from the pitch — and still enjoyed it.

I moved to Canada in 2024 (also hoping to attend a few WC matches in Canada or the US). But looking at prices starting at $140+, it’s clear FIFA is just milking ticket buyers — and that’s before factoring in parking/travel/accommodation costs.

So here’s my biggest takeaway:

Am I attending any WC 2026 matches?
No, not at these prices.

I’m okay playing the waiting game, and maybe grabbing a cheaper ticket closer to match day if something reasonable pops up in Canada. Otherwise, I’ll happily watch matches at a local pub or at home, comfortably.

If you’re comfortable paying these prices to watch a game in person, go for it.
If you’re local to any of the stadiums, closely watch the resale marketplace as match days approach.

Also, huge shout‑out to the person who built seasidekick.com — it shows seat counts, available deals, and overall availability. Hands down, the best tools to track tickets. Period.

One last thing: everyone’s chasing big teams, but honestly, matches with genuine travelling fans are the best ones to attend in person — nonstop chants, Mexican waves, dancing, pure chaos. That atmosphere matters far more than the name on the badge.