Members of Congress are pressing FIFA for an explanation of ticket pricing for the upcoming World Cup, the report says. Reps. Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone Jr., both New Jersey Democrats, sent a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino asking him to explain what the lawmakers described as FIFA’s “opaque” use of dynamic pricing and the public fury it has sparked, the report says. The World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., per the report.
The letter, the report says, expressed concern that FIFA is employing “opaque pricing, shifting rules, and potentially deceptive practices that are making it difficult for fans to access seats.” It asked for more information about ticketing practices, including how FIFA is ensuring affordability and responding to fans who feel misled. The report notes that tickets for most games in the 16 North American host cities have risen into four figures, with individual seats for some key games exceeding $10,000.
FIFA has defended the ticketing system, saying prices reflect market forces and that the organization does not set prices independently, the report says. Infantino was quoted at a conference as saying, “We have to look at the market,” and arguing that the organization must “apply market rates” in a developed entertainment market. The report adds that FIFA said tickets resold in the U.S. can fetch higher prices on the secondary market.
The report notes that dynamic pricing has been common in concerts but never used for a major sporting event, and that the Pou-Pallone letter also raised transparency concerns about fluctuations in pricing and availability. The lawmakers wrote that FIFA “appears to be restricting ticket supply to shape demand,” holding tickets back and creating an appearance of limited availability even when many remain unsold, per the report.
Public outcry has extended to transportation costs, the report says, after charges of $150 for roundtrip train tickets from New York’s Penn Station to East Rutherford. New Jersey Gov. Mickie Sherrill announced measures to lower the price, and Kris Kolluri, president and chief executive of NJ Transit, said private sponsors and other sources would reduce the cost by at least 30% to $105 per ticket, per the report. ESPN’s Anthony Olivieri contributed to this report.
