FIFA Faces Difficulty Moving Tickets for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup Debut Against Paraguay.

Ticket‐sale data for the 2026 World Cup opener in Los Angeles shows the U.S.‑Paraguay match lagging far behind other games at SoFi Stadium. A document shared with local organizers on April 10 listed 40,934 tickets sold for the June 12 opener, versus 50,661 for the Iran‑New Zealand match three days later, although it is unclear whether the figures include hospitality tickets. FIFA has refused to clarify, claiming the numbers are “misleading.” The opener was priced as the third‑most expensive match of the tournament (Category 1 $2,730; Category 2 $1,940) and prices have remained static, while most other games have seen hikes. Consequently, tickets have been moving at a few dozen per day, with thousands still listed on the resale market, some below face value. By contrast, lower‑profile matches and the Canada opener have sold better, aided by lower prices. FIFA’s “controlled scarcity” strategy—holding back tickets for later release—has kept overall sales robust, but the high cost appears to be deterring U.S. fans, raising the possibility of price adjustments before kickoff.

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