Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have surged to staggering levels.

Even if it’s a priceless experience, isn’t the price a little too high?

I imagine many Japanese fans on-site likely lamented the price tags.

The official resale price for the Japan-Brazil knockout-round match, posted on FIFA’s site, exceeded 300,000 yen--even for the cheapest seats--immediately after the match was announced.

I resent the weak yen.

The surge is driven by FIFA’s “dynamic pricing” system introduced for the tournament, which adjusts prices in real time based on supply and demand.

This is a method familiar for airline tickets and hotel bookings. An algorithm predicts demand, and prices are cheap in the off-season but leap during busy periods.

By the knockout stage of the World Cup, price decreases are unlikely.

In the past, FIFA did not indulge in “excessive profits” from tickets. It was difficult to do so.

A useful contrast is the World Cup hosted by the United........

© The Asahi Shimbun