Do you want to see a FIFA World Cup game in Toronto? Well, you better get ready to pay up.
With the third phase of ticket sales getting under way on Thursday via FIFA’s official website, many hopeful soccer fans were left shocked by the price it will cost to see not just Canada, but any game at this summer’s tournament.
Toronto will host the Canadian team’s opening game on June 12 against the winner of a European playoff which is set to take place in March. But, even without knowing the opponent, Category 1 tickets cost a staggering face value of $3,035 each.
Category 2 tickets are a bit more affordable at $2,205 while the cheapest tickets left for the match have a price of $1,300.
That means all but the cheapest seats for Canada’s opening match will cost almost as much as the average monthly rent in Toronto, which currently sits at $2,521 according to Rentals.ca.
Prices have gone up
Even more interesting, prices appear to have risen since they initially were released in October.
According to a report by the Athletic’s Henry Bushnell, the top tickets were listed at $2,443, the second group $1,736 and the third tier were $1,000.
And while higher prices were expected as the matchups were set — probably not this high, though — it’s not just the cost for Canada’s opening game that have left soccer fans irate.
Prices for the group-stage game between Germany and Côte d’Ivoire range from $305-$840, while the contest between Panama and Croatia goes from $250-$700.
On the comparably cheaper end of things, the match between Ghana and Panama has a price range of $195-$635 while the game between Senegal and an intercontinental playoff winner is $195-$630.
Perhaps the most surprising price is for the lone knockout phase game that will be hosted at BMO Field – which will be renamed Toronto Stadium for the tournament – between the second-place teams from Groups K and L.
While the match could potentially involve a powerhouse team like Portugal or Colombia with incredibly high stakes, the price range has been set at $335-$875 – not much higher than the Germany-Côte d’Ivoire contest.
Prices for Vancouver games
Out in Vancouver, where Canada will play its two other group stage matches, things are a bit better. Prices for Canada’s matches against Qatar and Switzerland both range from $370 to $980.
Daily Hive reported that Category 4 tickets — the cheapest seats, which were available during the first two phases of ticket sales — appear to have sold out.
Millions of requests
However, the staggering prices for tickets have not dissuaded fans seeking to take in the action this summer.
According to FIFA, more than five millions tickets requests were made in the first 24 hours of this third phase of ticket sales, with fans from over 200 countries and territories submitted applications.
In press release issued on Friday afternoon, FIFA revealed that that most sought-after ticket is for the June 27 match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami.
Tickets for Brazil-Morocco, Mexico-Korea Republic, Ecuador-Germany, and Scotland-Brazil round out the top five most-requested matches.
The random selection draw phase remains open until Jan. 13, 2026. Those who enter this phase of FIFA’s ticketing process will be informed if they were lucky enough to score their pricey tickets in February.
After that, the next phase for ticket sales – if there are any tickets remaining – will be released to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Then, if all else fails, the second-hand market will be the last chance for fans looking to catch some action live – and can actually afford it.