Last week, close observers of the World Cup ticket market told Front Office Sports they predict FIFA will ramp up its corporate giveaways as part of its last-minute ticket strategy.
This week, FIFA is doing just that.
Several more World Cup ticket giveaways have been announced in the days leading up to the tournament, which kicks off in Mexico on Thursday. The giveaways mean FIFA can unload thousands of tickets—unsold because dynamic pricing set the prices higher than the demand—without having to lower prices on their own primary sale site or eat the cost entirely. The governing body has dumped at least 8,800 tickets through the giveaways, with about 16,000 tickets left on its official website on Tuesday, according to TicketData.
On Monday, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced 1,104 free tickets donated by Airbnb for children in the state.
On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced 770 free tickets for her residents, with 200 of those set aside for nurses and pediatric patients. The tickets were secured by the host committee and funded by Uber and Hackensack Meridian Health.
