Argentina-Spain World Cup Final Is Most Expensive U.S. Sporting Event Ever

The World Cup final will be the most expensive sporting event ever hosted in the U.S. in terms of ticket prices on resale markets, according to data from secondary ticket marketplace TickPick, which said the average ticket price for the matchup between Argentina and Spain has topped other events like the Super Bowl and NBA Finals.Key factsThe get-in price for the final sits at $6,943 for a single ticket, a small drop from the roughly $7,200 get-in price the matchup had before Argentina defeated England on Wednesday afternoon and punched their ticket to the final.The average purchase price for the final is $11,327, according to TickPick—the highest ever recorded.As of Wednesday afternoon, the most pricey ticket purchase for the final was two tickets in MetLife Stadium’s Section 115A for $28,479 each, or $56,958 total.What are the other most expensive tickets in U.S. sporting history? According to TickPick, which calculated the most expensive tickets based on average purchase price, these are the next-priciest sporting events in U.S. history:Super Bowl LVIII in 2024 (San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs): $9,411Super Bowl LV in 2021 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs): $7,313.Super Bowl LIV in 2020 (Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers) $6,5462026 NBA Finals Game 3 (New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs): $6,308.TangentThe get-in price for the third place game between France and England is nearly $900. Ticket prices dropped about $300 after England lost to Argentina.Key backgroundThe 2026 World Cup by most major metrics is the most expensive tournament in the 96-year history of FIFA’s marquee event. When the tournament began last month, the average ticket price was $1,622, according to SeatPick data, with that figure rising to $4,162 for the semi-finals. However, some tickets prices on the secondary tumbled during the tournament, including the quarterfinal matchup that ultimately featured Spain and Belgium. The two sides knocked out the U.S. and Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal to reach the match, sending ticket prices sliding nearly 60%.