Ronaldo and the Portugal national team’s early exit from the 2026 World Cup has caused the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to lose a major source of revenue from fans.
According to data from the secondary ticketing platform TickPick, ticket prices for many matches in the quarterfinal round have dropped sharply after the Portugal national team and the host USA were eliminated in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Notably, the ticket price to enter the stadium and watch the quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium plummeted from around $2,950 to nearly $1,200, equivalent to a decrease of nearly 60%.
According to the SeatPick site, the average stadium ticket price for the quarterfinal matches has decreased by 31.5% in the last 1 to 2 days and by 50.4% over 3 days. The number of tickets offered for resale also increased sharply, from 28,285 tickets to 49,415 tickets.
Not only the ticket prices of the quarterfinal matches, but the ticket prices of the semifinal and final matches also show signs of adjustment. Indian Express cited data from GameTime showing that the cheapest ticket for semifinal 1 in Dallas is currently at $2,320, down 42% from the peak on June 24; semifinal 2 in Atlanta is at $2,708, down 52%; while the cheapest ticket for the final in New Jersey is $9,015, a 20% decrease compared to the previous highest mark.
According to US media, the host national team’s 1-4 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 caused the purchasing power of local spectators to decrease significantly. However, Portugal’s farewell created an even greater impact as Ronaldo officially closed his career of participating in the World Cup.
International media believe that a quarterfinal match featuring the USA or Portugal, especially Ronaldo, would create a huge attraction for fans and contribute to pushing ticket prices up. When both teams were eliminated, it was no surprise that ticket demand immediately plunged.
This development is seen as a not-so-positive signal for FIFA and its commercial partners, because revenue from ticket sales and related activities could be affected.
Many opinions suggest that, after Ronaldo’s elimination, the 2026 World Cup Organizing Committee expects top world stars, including Messi, to go deep with their teams. The influence of the Argentine superstar has been proven in the MLS tournament, as his managing club Inter Miami continuously set records for attendance and ticket sales over the past years.
