KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.
—
The FIFA World Cup 26 kicks off in Kansas City in less than three weeks, but thousands of fans have been priced out of attending games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, which will be called Kansas City Stadium during the tournament.
Kansas City will host six games over 26 days, including two knockout stage games, but the cheapest remaining tickets as of Tuesday on the FIFA website were $380. Cheaper options exist on the secondary market, but a family of four is still paying more than $800 to get into a game.
Brendan Cossette, a FIFA World Cup soccer fan from Columbia, Missouri, is among those weighing his options.
"I have been looking on the secondary market sites, and at first, I was a little blown away by the prices," Cossette said.
Ticket prices for World Cup 26 are significantly higher than past World Cups.
Paul Carr, a FIFA World Cup researcher from Topeka who has attended multiple World Cups, said the prices are a step above what most local sports fans are used to paying.
"If you're a casual sports fan, I think you do get sticker shock compared to 'I want to go to a Royals game or a Chiefs game even,'” he said. “These prices are a lot higher than a lot of those at the get-in level, at least.”
Carr, a diehard fan, ultimately bought tickets, even if some seats came with a trade-off.
"I'm literally like in the last couple rows in the upper deck for some of these games," Carr said. "I'm happy with what I ended up with, but I just wish I could share more with friends and stuff."
For Cossette, the prices create a conundrum. He wants to take all of his kids, knowing it may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it may not make sense with young children.
"That's where it gets to you, really have to make tough decisions about, ‘OK, are we taking everybody?’” Cossette said. “For instance, I have a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, and my 3-year-old won't get a whole heck of a lot out of seeing Ecuador and Curacao."
The good news for fans who can't afford tickets is that they will still have options to be part of the World Cup experience.
Sporting KC's Soccer Capital Summer Series includes 10 watch parties planned at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas, where the plaza outside the stadium has been renovated to include a large screen above a concert stage.
The Current also renovated the plaza outside CPKC Stadium and are inviting soccer fans to catch a match at the Berkley Riverfront.
There is also the official FIFA Fan Festival at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, which will be open for 18 days in June and July.
All of those events are free, though premium options also are available, and fans will still need to reserve tickets to attend.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
