July 2, 2026
Politico recently published an article featuring Florian Ederer, Allen and Kelli Professor in Markets, Public Policy, and Law, discussing why ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have reached record highs.
Ederer explained that strong global demand, FIFA’s pricing strategies, and limited transparency around ticket availability have all contributed to rising costs.
He also discussed issues in the secondary ticket market, including ghost ticketing, and suggested that stronger consumer protection measures could improve transparency and accountability for future tournaments.
“They’ve created a little bit this artificial scarcity where they want to keep fans in the dark as to whether they should buy now at higher prices, or just wait until the very end, and maybe get a good deal close to the start of a game,” he adds.
His insights underscore the growing need to balance market-based pricing with fairness and transparency for consumers at major global sporting events.
