Going to North America '26: tickets, accommodations, etc. (non-politics)

Was it the new "obstructed view" category?

My theory is that's how FIFA is trying to lower prices without outright reducing them or shifting to lower categories.

 

Since the seats aren't listed on Marketplace I can't say for certain, but no...not the last rows, only half a row, not indicated on SSK. Could have been a sponsor unloading poor seats? Across 4 sections?

 

Ah yes sorry, missed the "Marketplace" part of your post. Could've been sponsor returns.

 

Sometimes it’s good to be old. I remember going to Game 6 of the NBA Finals at the Fabulous Forum in the mid-1980’s, Lakers-Celtics, Magic vs. Bird. The tickets were around $50 each for pretty good seats. Better players and much better prices.

 

BTW - for any Australian fans on here, the actual reason for the somewhat strange kickoff time for the US-Australia match on June 19 has to be the NBA Finals. Because a potential Game 7 is scheduled for that evening, there is zero chance that FIFA or US TV networks would want to put a US match head to head against the NBA Finals, and there is prior reporting that the NBA specifically avoided June 12 due to the US-Paraguay match.

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/01/nba-changes-finals-schedule-no-sunday-games/

IMO, the NBA took the necessity of adjusting its schedule as an opportunity to place a potential Game 7 on a public holiday (Juneteenth) in the United States. And the NBA is big enough to say that the second time around, it is FIFA that needs to adjust its schedule.

I notice the NHL didn't schedule on either of these dates.

 

Other reasons may include:
1. It’s a federal holiday
2. There is a Mariners game that evening

 

The Mariners game is the least consideration. Middle of the season MLB matches can easily be.moved.

 

The Mariners are actually off or out of town for every day on which Seattle hosts a World Cup match, except for June 19.

IMO, they wanted to schedule a home match on the day that the US was in town (synergy), but knew that they would need to be flexible on the timing.

 

I doubt there was any coordination between the NBA and FIFA (and FIFA would’ve won out if they did). On June 19, Seattle is the host city most likely to have comfortable daytime playing conditions (others being Boston, Philadelphia, and Santa Clara). So they gave Seattle an early kickoff. Maybe 3pm in Boston would’ve worked.

The NBA announced their Finals schedule well after the World Cup schedule and kickoff times were set. If the US was playing at night on June 19, they would’ve just scheduled their game 7 a day earlier or later. The NHL for example is taking two days off right now (without any travel) to avoid the NBA. But they make things up as they go.

 

And that day was locked in as a US group match back in 2024. I don't think FIFA stated a kickoff time, but it's very likely MLB knew the time before it decided to schedule the Mariners at home that night.

 

The example of the NBA and NHL reinforces my point here, because those two leagues almost always play their championships simultaneously, and yet that they have scheduled games for the same day exactly 3 times since the end of the 1980s.

Of course FIFA and the major US sports leagues were coordinating. Only the NFL is big enough that it would just do whatever it wants.

 

We’ll have to disagree on that. There’s a clear hierarchy in the sports world, and the reason the NBA and NHL finals aren’t ever on the same day is because the NBA announces its schedule in advance and the NHL avoids those days at all costs.

The NBA (Finals) and MLB both waited exceptionally long to announce their schedules this year, well after the World Cup schedule was set. The NBA didn’t want to accidentally schedule themselves up against any major World Cup games (specifically the US). And MLB had to schedule around the World Cup in the cities that share parking and infrastructure with the World Cup stadium. Neither of them was going to tell FIFA what to do. Even New York has said they’ll be maintaining the partial closure of Penn Station on June 16 for France-Senegal, even if the Knicks are playing an NBA Finals game 6 immediately after.

 

They also have to account for the shared arenas. It's rare that two teams sharing an arena both reach the finals, but it has happened. One time was 1994 in New York, right as the World Cup was starting.

 

They actually had been planning a doubleheader on Saturday June 20 (with June 19 as a day off to avoid a conflict with the US World Cup game). But the 12pm kickoff allowed them to move it back to a typical Friday night game on June 19, I assume after some discussion with the city and World Cup organizers.

 

A little more on M8 -- I did a "magic wand" search for Cat 2 resale, and it offered me a location within a group of 6 full available rows, all on resale for exactly the same price (before the 15% surcharge) as the "original" price. So those are obviously FIFA dumps, and they just haven't dialed down the price yet.

 

I just tried that for some other matches in the resale marketplace. The magic wand always gave me resale tickets at FIFA current “face value” prices. So, it looks like one more FIFA trick to get you to buy their overpriced tickets, because cheaper tickets were showing up on the seat map.

 

Magic wand gave me some front row midfield tickets. While fifa was selling corner cat1 front row for twice the price. I’m actually afraid fifa will realize it and claw back my tickets

 

There is definitely some weird stuff going on, intentional or not, on the marketplace. I carted some cheap Category 3 tickets, let them go, and they never showed up again. I carted some Category 1 tickets, let them go, and they showed up immediately. Is FIFA hiding cheap resale tickets? Some people on Reddit say that when they reduce the prices of their resale tickets, they disappear from the marketplace, so that would match up with what I saw.

 

We are in some crazy uncharted waters. You going to the final?

 

I will be in the area at that time, but probably going only if it’s Belgium-Croatia, or something like that, where I can get a ticket for under $2K. After 7 finals, and never paying more than $1,600, I have no desire to pay the insane prices we are seeing now.

 

Toronto: ‘if fifa can do it we can do it too’
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/06...kets-after-criticism-from-opponents-and-fans/

 

Has anybody with more than one FIFA account tried logging in and out of them using the same ticket app on the same cell phone? As I recall, that worked in Qatar.

 

Yes I have done this. You need to be careful using the same account on multiple devices, I think the max is 2 devices.

 

Have the redditors tried increasing their ticket prices again to see if they reappear? I would have thought hiding seats that are for sale is legally dodgy.

 

Seven finals?! Holy cow. Which ones? I’m impressed!