Jun 17, 2026
There’s a good chance those who are lucky enough to attend any of this summer’s World Cup games in Canada, the U.S. or Mexico spent more on tickets than they’re comfortable admitting.
Before the tournament began, a report from Anadolu Agency, a state-run news agency in Turkey, found that tickets for this year’s World Cup were anywhere from four to 10 times more expensive than they were for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
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Take ticket prices for the U.S. men’s national team’s opening game against Paraguay on April 12, for example. When tickets first went on sale, seats reportedly ranged from $560 to $2,735. Many critics believe FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, is fleecing fans of the world’s most popular sport as they gather for its biggest event.
But ticket prices aren’t the only costs hitting soccer fans hard. Concession prices at U.S. stadiums hosting World Cup games have likely caused plenty of double-takes once fans finally reach the front of the line.
Taco ’bout a rip off: A quesadilla costs $26
Before Japan took on the Netherlands on June 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, the Dallas Morning News got a look at the venue and its concession options.
AT&T Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, is no stranger to pricey food and drinks. Local fans are used to paying premium prices on game day. But the costs uncovered during the World Cup could raise eyebrows among visiting international fans.
Let’s start with the snacks. A bag of chips costs $7, while an order of nachos will run a hungry fan back $16. The Birria quesadilla may be the biggest shocker on the menu, coming in at $26.
Then there are the drinks. A 20-ounce soft drink costs $8.50, while a bottle of water is only 25 cents cheaper at $8.25.
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As for the alcoholic beverages, they’re even pricier. Fans craving a beer will pay $15.95 for a domestic brand and $16.95 for craft or imported beer. That may sound steep, but it pales in comparison to the cost of the stadium’s margarita, which costs $25.50.
Moneywise reached out to AT&T Stadium for comment on the World Cup concession prices but did not hear back by publication time.
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The financial plight of the modern sports fan
These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that hasn’t been significantly more expensive. As Americans continue to struggle with a cost-of-living crisis, cheering on your favorite team has become increasingly costly.
With multiple streaming platforms competing for sports rights, many fans now spend hundreds of dollars a year just to watch their teams. The Athletic estimates that a Yankees fan would need to shell out nearly $800 to watch every game during the 2026 season.
Ticket prices tell a similar story. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of attending a live sporting event in America rose 123% between 2000 and 2025. Much of that increase came in recent years, with sports ticket prices jumping 25.1% in the 12 months between October 2022 and 2023.
Watching your favorite team is more expensive than ever. And for fans willing to pay the price of admission, the sticker shock often continues at the concession stand.
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Chase is an Associate Editor for Wise Publishing. He formerly worked at Yahoo Canada as an editor on both the News and Sports teams.
