Decisions, decisions … let’s see, tickets to the World Cup Final or a Corvette?
For the money of a pair of World Cup Final tickets you could get a hot car. According to the math whizzes at Edmunds.com, when comparing the costs for two seats to the most anticipated match of the tournament — the World Cup Final — the cost is in the same ballpark, or rather — er — pitch, as car prices.
“Big-ticket items carry real price tags and whether you’re buying a car or attending a historic sporting event, it’s helpful to put these big price tags in perspective,” Edmunds noted in a release it put out comparing World Cup Final ticket prices to used car prices.
How much do 2026 World Cup Final tickets cost?
The analysts set out to show how much car your ticket money can buy across three stadium seating tiers at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is being called New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup.
For example, two seats in the nosebleed section is the equivalent of buying a 2016 Toyota Sienna. If you splurge for seats in the premium level it would buy you a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette or a 2024 Porsche Macan.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final has not been played yet. The tournament began on June 11 and runs through July 19, with the 48 competing teams currently in the group stage. FIFA, the governing body for the sport, is charging record prices at the 11 stadiums in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
According to ABC News, FIFA has repeatedly raised the prices since tickets first went on sale last fall. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the prices are fitting in the North American market even as they have been criticized for list prices that have reached five figures.
The final match will be played on Saturday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium.
World Cup Final ticket price breakdown by section
Edmunds did a comparison of World Cup Final ticket listings from TickPick as of June 15 and compared them with prices for used car listings as of May 28 and came up with the following:
“For fans hunting for the absolute cheapest available seats, there’s no sugarcoating it: You’ll be paying more than any prior Final match on record,” Edmunds wrote in a release.
What cars could you buy instead?
Put another way: If you spend the bare minimum on two tickets to see the Final in person, which would be $16,578, that would have allowed you to drive off the lot a 2015 Lexus IS at $15,520, 2016 Toyota Sienna $16,660 or a 2021 Nissan Kicks for $15,184.
Move up to a midrange seat and your driveway could fill with bigger and better vehicles. For example, two tickets at the average Final prices in the 200 level of the stadium will run $33,698. For that money, you could buy a 2025 Ford Maverick at $32,620, 2024 Honda CR-V at $33,001 or a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe at $33,507.
Now let’s look at the best seats in the house with field-level views priced in the $50,000-$70,000 range, with some pairs topping the $200,000 mark.
That kind of money is the down payment on a house, or even the whole house itself. Or, you could pay in full, with no loan, for a 2025 Toyota 4Runner at $50,164, 2024 Porsche Macan at $55,992 or a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette $66,248.
Why World Cup ticket prices are so high
Edmunds said ticket prices for the World Cup Final are likely to fluctuate until kickoff July 19, meaning the cost of seats could go even higher, presenting fans with consideration of what else they could do with the money.
Edmunds noted that the ticket prices it used as a comparison reflect publicly listed resale prices, including fees, on TickPick.com as of June 15, 2026, for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Edmunds said its data on average used vehicle pricing is based on listings from U.S. dealerships captured on May 28.
Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer for USA TODAY Co. who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: These World Cup Final ticket prices could buy you a new car
Reporting by Jamie L. LaReau, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jamie L. LaReau, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
