By Guy Kogel, Co-Founder & CTO at SeatPick

If you've been holding off on buying World Cup tickets, your patience may have just paid off.

Over the last 30 days, the average get-in price for a World Cup 2026 match has dropped 55.5% - falling $816 from where it sat just a month ago. Average ticket prices across all listings have followed a similar trajectory, dropping from $2,182 on May 8 to $1,412 on June 8.

I know this because we built something to track exactly this.

We Built a World Cup Data Hub — Here's Why

Earlier this year, we launched the SeatPick World Cup Data Hub: a real-time dashboard tracking resale ticket prices, availability, and trends across every match, team, and host city at the 2026 World Cup.

We originally built it for ourselves - to better understand the resale market we help fans navigate every day. But it quickly became clear that the data was just as valuable to fans trying to time their purchase, and to journalists covering the economics of the tournament. It's been cited in coverage from a host of international outlets including Al Jazeera and DW - and we've seen consistent traffic from fans checking price movements before buying.

It worked well enough that we're planning to roll out similar data hubs for the Premier League and Champions League later this summer.

But right now, the World Cup data is where the story is.

The Big Picture: A 55.5% Drop in 30 Days

Here's what the numbers look like. Over the past month, the average get-in price - the cheapest available ticket for a given match - has fallen from $1,465 to $652. That's a drop of over 55%.

The average ticket price across all listings has followed a similar pattern, down from $2,182 to $1,412 - a 35% decline.

Meanwhile, supply has surged. The number of available tickets on the resale market has climbed sharply as sellers who bought speculatively are now looking to offload inventory before the tournament begins.

The dynamic is straightforward: as kickoff approaches, sellers who haven't found buyers start competing on price. Supply goes up, prices come down.

Data by SeatPick

But Knockout Tickets Are a Different Story

There's an important nuance in the most recent data. Over the last 3 days, get-in prices have actually ticked up by 6.8%. That's not the market reversing. While prices for group games continue to fall, knockout-stage tickets are actually increasing in price.

This makes sense. Group stage demand is softer than many expected, partly because the expanded 48-team format means a lot more matchups between lower-ranked sides. There are 104 matches at this World Cup. Not all of them are blockbusters.

Knockout tickets, on the other hand, are a scarcer commodity. There are fewer of them, and every one guarantees two strong teams. We expect those prices to stay high as the tournament progresses. If you're already thinking about the World Cup Final, those tickets are in a category of their own.

If you're looking for value, the group stage is where to find it right now.

The Most Expensive Teams: Mexico Leads, USA and England Drop

One of the most interesting things we're tracking is demand by team. The data reveals some surprises.

Mexico is the most in-demand nation at the World Cup, with an average ticket price of $3,162 across their three group matches - and prices are still climbing, up 5.9% over the past week. As co-hosts with a passionate fanbase, Mexico matches are the hottest ticket in the tournament.

Portugal ($2,335) and Brazil ($2,192) round out the top three, reflecting the global draw of these football powerhouses.

What's more surprising is where USA and England sit. USMNT tickets average $1,402 - and have dropped 12.3% in the last week. England tickets have fallen even further, down 16.4% to $1,168. For fans of either team, this is a window that may not last.

Argentina, the defending champions, sit at $1,588 — relatively modest given the Messi factor, though that may shift once the tournament is underway.

Host City Breakdown: Where It's Expensive — and Where It's Not

City-level pricing tells its own story.

New Jersey is the most expensive host city, with an average ticket price of $2,879. That's driven by MetLife Stadium hosting 8 matches, including the World Cup Final. Mexico City follows at $2,280, and Miami rounds out the top three at $2,218.

At the other end of the scale, San Francisco is comfortably the cheapest host city at $617 average — making Levi's Stadium the best value destination for fans looking to attend a World Cup match without breaking the bank. Seattle ($908), Toronto ($930), and Vancouver ($825) also offer more affordable options.

For fans on a budget, the math is simple: fly to San Francisco, not New Jersey.

Data by SeatPick

What Happens Next?

The tournament kicks off on June 11. Based on what we're seeing in the data, here's what I'd expect:

Group stage prices will likely keep falling - or at least stay flat - as we get deeper into the group phase. Matches between lower-ranked sides in particular have significant room to drop.

Knockout stage prices will hold or climb. Once we know the Round of 32 matchups, expect a demand spike for marquee fixtures. If the USA, Mexico, or Brazil draw a high-profile opponent, those tickets will move fast. If Argentina meet Portugal, prices will be through the roof - it would be Messi and Ronaldo's final meeting in a professional game.

The final days before each match are often the cheapest. Our data consistently shows that the last 48-72 hours before an event is when sellers are most willing to cut prices. Set a price alert on SeatPick and let the market come to you.

The secondary ticket market rewards patience - but only to a point. The World Cup starts tomorrow. If you're still looking, now is the time.

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All data referenced in this article is sourced from the SeatPick World Cup Data Hub, tracking real-time resale ticket prices across a wide variety of trusted providers.

Guy Kogel is the Co-Founder and CTO of SeatPick, the leading ticket search engine for live events.