Cristiano Ronaldo, USA exit trigger massive drop in FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal ticket prices

The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals are set to get underway this week, but fans hoping to attend the knockout matches are now finding tickets at significantly lower prices than expected. The sharp decline comes after the elimination of co-hosts United States and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the Round of 16, two teams that were expected to drive demand in the resale market.

According to ticket marketplace TickPick, the get-in price for Friday’s quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium has dropped from around USD 2,950 to nearly USD 1,200, reflecting a major shift in fan interest following the latest knockout results.

The United States World Cup journey ended after a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium, while Portugal suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Spain, bringing Cristiano Ronaldo’s FIFA World Cup career to a close.

The exits of both teams have had an immediate impact on the secondary ticket market. Had Portugal defeated Spain and the USA overcome Belgium, the two sides could have met in a blockbuster quarterfinal featuring one of football’s biggest global stars and one of the tournament’s host nations. Such a fixture was widely expected to generate enormous demand and push resale prices even higher.

With that possibility no longer on the table, ticket prices for several knockout matches have fallen considerably.

According to data from SeatPick, the average resale price for FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal tickets has declined by 31.5 per cent over the past one to two days and by 50.4 per cent over the last three days.

The supply of tickets on the secondary market has also increased significantly. Nearly 49,500 tickets are now listed for resale, compared to around 28,300 available when the tournament began, giving fans more options at lower prices.

Among the four quarterfinal fixtures, France vs Morocco currently offers the cheapest entry point. TickPick data shows that resale tickets for the match are available from USD 989, making it the most affordable last-eight clash.

While quarterfinal ticket prices have dropped sharply, demand for the later stages of the tournament remains relatively strong. According to pricing data from GameTime, semifinal ticket prices have also declined in recent days but could rise again depending on the teams that qualify.

Potential matchups involving France, Spain, England and defending champions Argentina are expected to boost demand if they materialise in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup 2026 final continues to command premium prices despite a slight correction in the market. The lowest resale tickets are still priced at around USD 9,000, highlighting the sustained demand for the tournament’s biggest match.

With the quarterfinals featuring France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England, and Argentina vs Switzerland, the resale market is expected to remain dynamic as the race for the World Cup title intensifies.