IRVINE, Calif. — Ticket prices for the United States’ next two World Cup games have soared on resale sites after the team’s emphatic win over Paraguay in its opener.Following the team’s historic 4-1 victory on Friday night, the U.S. will have to wait a week for its second group-stage match, next Friday in Seattle against Australia.For that game, the get-in price — for the cheapest available ticket — on third-party resale sites such as StubHub and SeatGeek rose above $1,800 late Friday night, nearly six times the Category 3 price set by FIFA, which runs the World Cup and its ticketing operation.Tickets for U.S.-Australia at Lumen Field had long been coveted by U.S. fans, perhaps more so than tickets to the opener. But still, earlier this week, the get-in price was hovering around $1,000, according to TicketData.com, which tracks prices across a variety of resale sites.That best available price began rising even before the U.S. opener kicked off on Friday at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. local time. Before kickoff on Friday evening, with the World Cup in full swing as of Thursday, it was creeping up toward $1,500. Then it spiked throughout the U.S. men’s national team’s first four-goal game in World Cup history.Compared to three days ago, the get-in price for that match is up 63 percent, according to TicketData.com.And as of Saturday morning, the price for the USMNT’s third group match, back at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles against Turkey on June 25, had risen by 66 percent compared to three days earlier.Resale prices across the board have been rising for World Cup matches as the tournament begins and excitement kicks in. But those two U.S. matches were the second- and third-highest risers, behind only Netherlands vs. Japan on Sunday near Dallas.U.S.-Turkey saw a pronounced jump on Friday night. Three hours before kickoff, the get-in price on resale sites was $1,086, per TicketData.com. Less than 30 minutes after the final whistle, it was $1,370, and by Saturday morning, it was $1,456.Even prices for the round-of-32 match on July 1 in the Bay Area, which would feature the U.S. if it wins Group D, rose from less than $900 at cheapest throughout the day on Friday to $1,124 less than 30 minutes after the final whistle of the USMNT’s rout.Prices on FIFA’s official resale platform were slightly cheaper, but also rose. They reflect the giddiness that fans inside SoFi Stadium felt on Friday, and that millions felt watching on TV around the country.Players felt the fans’ excitement Friday. A few of them called the atmosphere “surreal.” And they could already sense they are having an impact on soccer in America.“Hopefully today, with this performance, they can see and connect with us,” midfielder Weston McKennie said. “I think that’s something we want to be, relatable. And they can see the joy that we have when we play.“And then for the people (who) maybe say, ‘Oh, soccer’s boring’ — well, you had five goals today. So, hopefully they might not say that anymore, and feel the electricity in the stadium, and the passion, by viewing the fans that have been with us for years and for decades — and even from Paraguay fans.“I think that’s one thing that’s gonna change soccer here, having the World Cup here. I think a lot of people will be touched by the passion that a lot of the fans have.”
USMNT ticket prices soar on resale sites after World Cup opener
The get-in price for the cheapest available ticket for next week's game against Australia rose above $1,800 late Friday night.











