Lawrence Yee has cherished football for as long as he can recall. Growing up in a Canadian town dominated by hockey, he forged a deep connection with the sport, experiencing the highs and lows of fandom. Nearly four years ago, the announcement that Toronto and Vancouver would join 14 other cities as hosts of the World Cup filled him with excitement.
“The prospect of hosting the biggest tournament in the world in Toronto was surreal,” Yee expressed. “It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Living in the city and cycling to the venue? I was ready to be first in line for tickets.”
However, as Canada gears up to face Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12—the inaugural men’s World Cup match on Canadian soil—Yee will not be among the spectators. His hopes, along with those of countless others, have been dashed by FIFA’s new ticket pricing strategy, which many fans deem exorbitant.
Just days before the matches in Vancouver and Toronto, hundreds of tickets for each of the ten Canadian games remain unsold. This situation contradicts previous claims of overwhelming demand. Even hotel occupancy is at only 80%, a figure typical for summer tourism.
In April, FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed in Vancouver that ticket requests were ten times greater than for the last two World Cups combined.
“We received 500 million requests for tickets. For the last two World Cups, we only had 50 million,” he stated. “We have sold all tickets we put on the market, which represents about 90% of the global inventory so far.”
Despite these assertions, the perceived demand has seemingly stalled due to high prices. The lowest ticket for Canada’s opening match is over C$1,000 (£535) at face value.
Infantino defended the pricing model, stating, “We continuously release tickets. While some are costly, there are also affordable options available.”
However, according to Moshe Lander, a sports economist at Concordia University, maximizing revenue and ensuring full stadiums are not necessarily aligned goals. Under the current approach, FIFA finds it more lucrative to sell high-priced tickets rather than guarantee full attendance.
“FIFA has total control over the World Cup,” Lander noted. “Without competition, they can act in any unethical way they see fit, unless fans decide to turn their backs on them. This means not just withholding money but also choosing not to watch games at local pubs. If a significant number of fans do this, FIFA might reconsider their approach.”
A FIFA representative asserted that, “For the first time in the tournament’s history, more tickets have been sold directly to fans,” emphasizing the organization’s decision to offer at least 1,000 tickets priced at US$60, which they describe as a “very competitive price point for a major global sporting event.”
Supporters point to previous tournaments where FIFA made tickets more accessible to locals, a strategy now overshadowed by the pursuit of maximizing price through real-time adjustments.
FIFA has defended its variable pricing strategy, claiming it “aligns with industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors, where pricing adaptations are implemented to enhance sales and attendance while ensuring fair market value for events.”
Ontario attempted to regulate ticket resale, enacting legislation that prohibited the resale of World Cup tickets above face value. In response, FIFA adjusted its resale marketplace for Toronto matches to comply with local laws. Nevertheless, Yee expressed frustration with early attempts to secure tickets through the lottery system and various access points, ultimately feeling that acquiring a ticket was slipping beyond his reach.
“I’ve given up and at this point, I don’t want to give my money to FIFA,” Yee lamented. “I’m done with them. While they may control pricing, it feels like a slap in the face to the essence of football: it should be a sport for everyone. Accessibility should enable fans, especially those in host cities, to witness the matches.”
Increasingly, critics—including city councillors and officials who initially supported bringing the World Cup to Canada—are voicing concerns about the financial burdens placed on cities. Meanwhile, FIFA reaps profits from ticket sales and broadcasting while paying no taxes, leaving residents to shoulder the costs of the event without the chance to attend. In some instances, officials and FIFA had even planned to charge for public events promised to residents before retracting those plans.
Originally, the cost for hosting matches in Toronto was estimated at C$45 million in 2018; this figure has now ballooned to at least C$380 million. In Vancouver, the estimated expense for seven games was C$240 million in 2022, but it is now projected to reach a minimum of C$624 million. According to the parliamentary budget office, Canada will spend over C$1 billion to host the tournament, translating to an average cost of C$82 million per game. Other Canadian cities, upon reviewing both the initial financial projections and FIFA’s stringent regulations, have hesitated to participate.
Despite these challenges, Yee remains enthusiastic for the teams and their supporters who will visit the city. “It’ll be magical for those who get to attend. I sincerely hope they enjoy the best experience possible,” he said. “Now that I’m not preoccupied with ticketing issues, I’m eager to reconnect with friends. Perhaps I’ll host gatherings at my home. Local communities are organizing watch parties, and I fondly remember the sense of community that soccer fostered during my childhood. I’m looking forward to experiencing that again.”
