Nearly 540,000 FCFA for the opening match and over 4.8 million FCFA for the final: the promise of an affordable 2026 World Cup has not been kept, given the exorbitant prices displayed 100 days before the event. According to FIFA, approximately seven million tickets were put on sale, with a strict limit of four tickets per match and forty for the entire competition. The initial sales phases, based on a lottery system, attracted a record 508 million applications, confirming the global enthusiasm for this North American edition.

For this tournament with its unprecedented 104-match format, prices vary considerably depending on the game. While the initial bid promised tickets starting at 12,600 FCFA, the actual entry-level price is now 36,000 FCFA for matches like Austria-Jordan. For the major nations, the majority of seats are priced at at least 120,000 FCFA. The final reaches dizzying heights, with the cheapest category at 1.2 million FCFA, while the best seats reach a staggering 5,208,000 FCFA.

Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, justifies this situation by "dynamic pricing", a model where prices fluctuate according to demand, particularly common in the United States.

The trip is proving particularly expensive for fans of the Lions of Teranga. For the France-Senegal match scheduled for June 16th in East Rutherford, VIP options range from 1.7 million to 2.7 million FCFA. On the resale market, prices are skyrocketing. A ticket initially sold for 131,000 FCFA for this clash can now be offered for 600,000 FCFA on secondary platforms. As a last resort, some tickets in the upper stands for other matches are going from 537,000 FCFA to over 3 million FCFA, depending on the reseller.

Beyond the coveted visa, additional expenses significantly increase the bill. These include the cost of airfare, food, and especially accommodation, the prices of which are skyrocketing. Renting a vehicle becomes almost essential, as many stadiums are located far from city centers, but parking fees add an extra cost ranging from 60,000 to 180,000 FCFA per match. Visitors requiring a tourist visa should also budget approximately 111,000 FCFA in consular fees.

For fans unable to afford such expenses, host cities offer "Fan Festivals" with giant screens. While most of these areas will be free, like the one in Kansas City that can accommodate 25,000 people, others will be exceptions. In New York, access to the fan zone set up within the US Open tennis grounds will be charged, forcing fans to pay extra simply to share in the collective excitement of the tournament.