The clock is ticking – just days left until the World Cup final showdown between Spain and Argentina. But despite the electric atmosphere that's building across the globe, over 1,100 tickets for the big match remain stubbornly unsold on FIFA's official resale platform. The 82,500-seater MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will be abuzz with excitement as these two footballing giants clash, but it seems a substantial chunk of seats are up for grabs – and at some eye-watering prices.
The cheapest tickets are starting from a whopping $7,900, but that's small change compared to the $2.3 million being asked by some sellers on FIFA's site. And if you're looking to splash out in style with a premium hospitality package, you can still bag a Champions Cup ticket complete with free bar, commemorative gift, and buffet for a relatively modest $19,000 – or a FIFA Pavilion ticket for $17,000.
It's not just the World Cup final that's seeing unsold tickets. A further 7,000 seats are available for Saturday's third-place play-off in Miami, where France and England will do battle at the Hard Rock Stadium. The resale prices here are equally stratospheric, ranging from $1.7 million to a staggering $3.3 million – despite initial prices starting at around $455.
Spain's semi-final victory over France has sent them into their first World Cup final since 2010, while England's late defeat to Argentina was marred by controversy surrounding the Falkland Islands banner displayed by the South Americans. FIFA will be rubbing its hands together as it pockets a 15% cut from each resale transaction – but can the organisation really justify such exorbitant prices when thousands of fans are being priced out?
The sheer number of unsold tickets, and the eye-watering sums being asked for them, raises serious questions about the accessibility of major sporting events. Is it just a case of supply and demand, or is FIFA's pricing strategy deterring potential attendees? Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure – there'll be plenty of empty seats at the World Cup final that could have been filled with enthusiastic fans eager to witness this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.