Thousands of Tickets Remain Unsold for USMNT's 2026 World Cup Opening Match
More than 3,000 tickets remain available on resale platforms for the U.S. men's national team's opening match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on Friday, contradicting FIFA's earlier claims of a sold-out tournament. The unsold inventory comes amid ongoing debate over high ticket prices, which have drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers and President Trump. The situation raises questions about demand for one of the tournament's marquee fixtures and whether the stadium will be at full capacity.
Thousands of tickets for the USMNT's opening match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium remain available across multiple resale platforms and FIFA's official sales portal just days before the Friday kickoff. Prices range from approximately $900-$1,000 on resale sites to over $3,700 on Ticketmaster, with FIFA's official portal offering tickets between $1,120 and $2,735. This contradicts FIFA President Gianni Infantino's earlier assertion that all 104 World Cup matches were essentially sold out. The unsold tickets have reignited debate over pricing, with U.S. lawmakers from New York and New Jersey noting that current rates far exceed those of previous World Cups, and President Trump publicly stating he would not pay over $1,000 for a match. The 69,650-seat SoFi Stadium's final attendance remains uncertain, as FIFA does not release official sales data and may be holding back additional tickets for last-minute sales at potentially lower prices.
What's missing
The article does not provide the actual number of tickets sold or the stadium's current occupancy rate, as FIFA does not publicly release this data. Additionally, it is unclear whether the unsold tickets represent genuine lack of demand or reflect FIFA's pricing strategy and ticket release timing.
What different sources said
- EuronewsCenter
Free World Cup tickets: Airbnb is giving away seats for some host city match-day bookings
- NewsweekCenter
Thousands of World Cup Tickets Remain Unsold for USMNT’s Opening Game
- TechRadarCenter
ExpressVPN becomes an official supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in biggest sports deal yet — and gives away over 50 premium tickets
- NPRLeft
With just days left, the U.S. opening match at the World Cup is still not sold out
- BreitbartFar Right
Tough Sell: Tickets Still on Sale for U.S. Opening Match at FIFA World Cup in L.A.
- The IndependentLeft
Nearly 180,000 tickets are still available through World Cup resale portals: report
- Global News CanadaCenter
Vancouver hotel rooms, FIFA World Cup game tickets still available with days to go
- Toronto LifeCenter
Half of Toronto’s hotel rooms are unbooked heading into the World Cup
- NBC SportsCenter
Tickets are still available for U.S. World Cup debut at SoFi Stadium
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