World Cup quarterfinal ticket prices plunge after US, Portugal crash out
The sharp decline followed Monday's Round of 16 results that ended the hopes of both the United States and Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal reacts during the group K match between Portugal and Uzbekistan at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Houston Stadium. Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 to qualify to the last 16. (Photo: Xinhua)
Ticket prices for Friday's FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium have fallen dramatically after the elimination of co-hosts the United States (US) and Portugal, with resale prices dropping by nearly 60 per cent as demand cooled following the exit of two of the tournament's biggest attractions.
According to Forbes, the cheapest ticket available for the quarterfinal in the Los Angeles area dropped from approximately $2,950 (about Sh381,000) to around $1,200 (about Sh155,000) on the secondary market by Tuesday afternoon, based on data from TickPick.
The sharp decline followed Monday's Round of 16 results that ended the hopes of both the US and Portugal.
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The US, buoyed by home support and hoping to continue its historic run on home soil, suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle, missing out on a place in the last eight.
Portugal also bowed out after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Spain in Dallas. Substitute Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in stoppage time to send the European champions through and bring an end to Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career.
The Portuguese captain had already confirmed that the 2026 tournament would be his final appearance on football's biggest stage.
Had the US and Portugal progressed, the quarterfinal would likely have featured one of the tournament's most marketable fixtures, combining a host nation with one of football's biggest global stars. Instead, the exits of the Americans and Ronaldo significantly reduced demand in the resale market.
The France versus Morocco quarterfinal in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is currently the least expensive last-eight fixture, with secondary market tickets starting at $989 (approximately Sh128,000)
While quarterfinal prices have fallen, demand for the tournament's showpiece remains exceptionally high. The cheapest ticket for the FIFA World Cup final on July 19 in New Jersey was listed at $9,346 (about Sh1.21 million) as of Tuesday afternoon, although prices are expected to fluctuate depending on the finalists.
Data from SeatPick shows average resale prices for the World Cup quarterfinals have dropped 31.5 per cent over the past 24 hours and 50.4 per cent over the last three days.
At the same time, the number of tickets available on secondary marketplaces has risen sharply to 49,415, compared to 28,285 when the tournament began.
Despite the recent decline, the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains the most expensive in the competition's history, with early resale prices reaching up to seven times those seen at previous editions.
With the quarterfinal lineup now confirmed, bookmakers have installed France as the favourites to lift the trophy, followed by Spain, Argentina and England as the race for the world title enters its decisive stage.