Gianni Infantino Offers Hot Dog, Coke for $2 Million Fifa Final Ticket
fifa president Gianni Infantino said he would personally bring a hot dog and a Coke to anyone who buys a World Cup final ticket for $2 million. The remark came as he defended pricing for the summer tournament, where some tickets have been listed for five-figure fees on FIFA's resale platform.
Infantino's $2 million line
Infantino made the comment on Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. He said, "If some people put on the resale market some tickets for the final at $2m, number one, it doesn't mean that the tickets cost $2m, and number two, it doesn't mean that somebody will buy these tickets."
He added, "In the US, it is permitted to resell tickets as well, so if you were to sell tickets at the price which is too low, these tickets will be resold at a much higher price," before saying, "And as a matter of fact, even though some people are saying that the ticket prices we have are high, they still end up on the resale market at an even higher price, more than double our price."
New Jersey tickets near $2.3 million
Last month, four tickets behind the goal for the final in New Jersey were listed for just under $2.3 million apiece. Infantino said that 25% of the group stage tickets can be bought for less than $300, and compared that with going to a college game in the US, adding, "and this is the World Cup".
The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July, and the high prices have drawn criticism throughout the build-up. Infantino has repeatedly defended the pricing as being in line with other sporting events in the United States.
Toronto resale rule change
FIFA has already adjusted its resale platform in Toronto. Tickets for the six matches at Toronto Stadium were removed from the official marketplace last week, after Ontario's recent ban on reselling event tickets above face value forced a change in the rules.
Those matches can now only be sold for their original price, while tickets at the other 15 venues can still be listed above face value on the marketplace. For buyers chasing the most expensive seats, the message from FIFA is simple: the resale market can swing far above the headline price, but Toronto no longer allows that markup.
