Fifa leadership ‘overruled US-based staff’ opposing World Cup dynamic pricing

A number of Fifa’s US-based staff advised against the use of dynamic pricing at the World Cup but were overruled by the world governing body’s leadership, according to multiple sources involved in delivering the tournament. The Guardian has been told that some staff in Fifa’s US office, which is based in Miami, initially favoured a different ticketing strategy to the one that has been used this summer, with the emphasis on more affordable pricing in general admission areas. However Fifa is understood to have judged that the 2026 World Cup was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to maximise revenue due to the strength of demand and the wealth of the American market in particular. It is unclear whether the ultimate decision on ticket pricing was taken by the Fifa president’s office, but it was approved by the organisation’s executive committee. In a statement to the Guardian, Fifa insisted that all elements of the organisation are aligned on pricing strategy. The official bid book ­submitted to Fifa by the Canadian Soccer Association, the Mexican Football Association and the United States ­Soccer ­Federation in 2018 mentioned dynamic pricing but the would-be hosts said at the time they were not pursuing it. The bid book also indicated that Fifa had previously instructed them not to charge huge prices for higher-end tickets. …