The World Cup’s in-demand tickets: are Scotland really more popular than England, USA and Argentina? | World Cup 2026
It’s no surprise that the most expensive World Cup resale tickets are those for the final. But the second most expensive is a group match between two nations who have never reached this stage.
A ticket to the Colombia-Portugal group match in Miami on June 27 is the tournament’s second-most expensive seat on the resale market, with a cheapest asking price of $2,254 as of May 17, according to TicketData.com, an analytics site.
That’s far less than the $7,734 “price of entry” for the final, but more than the semifinals in the Dallas area ($2,170) and Atlanta ($2,117). The second most expensive group match is currently Scotland v Brazil, also in Miami, with availability at $1,641. The South Florida city’s demographics, geography, star power and alluring reputation combine to make the Colombia-Portugal clash particularly appealing.
“It’s clearly the last time we see Ronaldo, so people are excited about that, the Colombian population is large there and Miami has become sort of the party center for this event,” says Jim McCarthy, a ticketing expert whose company, Impresario Strategic Growth Service, works with soccer clubs to increase attendance. “Besides, it’s a good match. As group stage matches go, there aren’t many with two very good teams.”
It may seem unusual that the major European powers – Spain, Germany, France and England – are not the biggest draws, at least by this measure, which is a strong indicator of market dynamics defined by supply and demand. But Fifa’s expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams has diluted the group stage by mixing in more minnows and lowering the stakes, as eight third-placed teams will advance in addition to the top two in each group.
“They’re all priced assuming very high demand and I think the reality is that with the group stage changing, there are a lot of games that will still require real marketing and real thought to sell them,” McCarthy said.
The clash between Colombia and Portugal therefore particularly stands out in a tourist city often nicknamed the gateway to Latin America. Flights between Colombia and Miami are relatively affordable, and according to census data, there are approximately 1.8 million people of Colombian descent in the United States, including more than 310,000 in the Miami area. There are an estimated 1.4 million people of Portuguese descent in the United States, including more than 90,000 in Florida.
It’s also fair to assume that many Americans without deep interest are eager to see a match between two of the best teams in the world, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo is involved. With approximately 6.4 million residents, Greater Miami is the eighth largest metropolitan area in the country. The city is home to a large number of wealthy people: nearly 15% of households earn $200,000 or more according to census data. Another study estimates the number of millionaires in Miami at nearly 39,000.
Even though prices are astronomical across the board, data suggests that group stage resale prices are falling as the tournament approaches: down 23% on average over the past 30 days, although they are essentially unchanged over the past week. “The secondary market is of course a pretty good, in-depth, x-ray look at the value that people place on these notes,” McCarthy says.
“As we get into the final weeks before an event, there’s a downward trend in terms of ticket prices. Unless there’s a real shortage, ticket prices don’t go up at the end, they go down, and sometimes they go down quickly. So we’re going to see where things really stand, which is pretty fascinating.”
Most expensive group games
(Figures exclude Mexico and represent the cheapest available single ticket resale price according to ticketdata.com as of Sunday, May 17)
Colombia vs Portugal
Cheapest resale price: $2,254
Date and location: Saturday June 27, Miami, 7:30 p.m. local time
It’s James Rodriguez, 34, against Cristiano Ronaldo, 41. These are two of the best teams in the world in a glitzy city. And with this being their third group match, it’s possible that everything could be on the line for one or both nations. But as they will have already faced Democratic Republic of Congo and Uzbekistan, and given the lenient qualifying format, it is likely both will have reached the knockout stages before kick-off.
Scotland v Brazil
Cheapest resale price: $1,641
Date and place: Wednesday June 24, Miami, 6 p.m. local time
Florida has a large Brazilian population and Brazil still attracts neutrals, even though it hasn’t won the trophy since 2002 and has only advanced past the quarterfinals once since (a 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 semifinals). The Tartan Army mobilizes in numbers for major tournaments and the scarcity is also driving demand among Scottish supporters given this year is the team’s first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Brazil vs. Morocco
Cheapest resale price: $1,383
Date and place: Saturday June 13, New York/New Jersey, 6:00 p.m. local time
Another metropolitan area with a significant number of Brazilians. As well as many wealthy people accustomed to paying exorbitant prices: premium tickets for Broadway shows can cost more than $1,200. It is also a useful kick-off day and time for families and supporters traveling long distances; even the 15 or so miles from Brooklyn can seem like a serious hike when trying to reach this place. And facing the 2022 semi-finalists should prove a tall order for Brazil.
Argentina vs. Austria
Cheapest resale price: $962
Date and place: Monday, June 22, Dallas area, 12:00 p.m. local time
There are sizable Argentine communities in Dallas and Houston, and the central Dallas area is convenient for many (as long as you don’t hope to catch a train), with a major airport and well over 25 million people within a day’s driving range. Given that Austria’s other two group matches are among the cheapest, it’s fair to say that the desire to see Lionel Messi’s reigning champions is what is fueling the prices.
United States vs. Paraguay
Cheapest resale price: $937
Date and place: Friday, June 12, Los Angeles, 6:00 p.m. local time
The co-hosts will begin their campaign at the lavish Sofi Stadium, where they will also face Turkey in their third group match. In the meantime, they will meet Australia in Seattle. The United States beat Paraguay 2-1 in a friendly last November, but this time it’s not just about soccer. The opening ceremony, which Fifa says will be a “high-energy spectacle” that will “bring the sound of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to life”, will likely drive up prices. This sound is not, in fact, the beeping of payment machines recording transactions, but the music of stars, including Katy Perry.
The cheapest
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
Cheapest resale price: $156
Date and place: Friday June 26, Houston, 7 p.m. local time
Cape Verde has a population of around 525,000 and is the third smallest country by population to qualify for a World Cup after fellow debutants Curaçao and Iceland (who did so in 2018). It’s a great story, but their modest size means a limited number of traveling fans. The American diaspora is thought to be about as large as the islands’ population, although it is concentrated far from Texas in New England. Saudi Arabia has no shortage of wealthy fans, but it is unlikely to attract many neutrals.
Austria vs Jordan
Cheapest resale price: $180
Date and place: Tuesday, June 16, San Francisco Bay Area, 9:00 p.m. local time
This is the World Cup debut for Jordan, a rising regional force that was runners-up to Qatar in the 2023 Asian Cup and is benefiting from expansion to a 48-team format. Austria, often a little underestimated and underachieving, finished ahead of France, the Netherlands and Poland in their group at Euro 2024 and are playing energetic, pressing football under their influential veteran German coach Ralf Rangnick. Neither country has a large population and is therefore unlikely to attract crowds of traveling fans.
Uzbekistan vs DR Congo
Cheapest resale price: $180
Date and place: Saturday June 27, Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. local time
Italy missed the World Cup for the third time in a row, but at least Uzbekistan are coached by the great Fabio Cannavaro, who captained the Azzurri to victory in 2006. They are making their World Cup debut 35 years after becoming an independent country and are also the first team from Central Asia to qualify. DR Congo returned to the big stage for the first time since 1974 and impressively defeated Cameroon, Nigeria and Jamaica to reach this point.
