Thousands of tickets are still available for the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup opener in Los Angeles just days before kickoff, a surprising development for one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.
The United States is set to face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, but reports suggest roughly 4,400 seats remain unsold despite the match marking the host nation’s first game of the World Cup.
The sluggish sales have sparked a backlash from fans, many of whom have blamed FIFA’s pricing strategy for keeping supporters away.
A Reddit thread discussing the match drew hundreds of reactions, with one fan calling the situation a “complete embarrassment” and arguing that FIFA had “priced tickets like it’s the Super Bowl.”
The poster claimed thousands of tickets were still sitting on resale platforms as sellers scrambled to unload seats before kickoff, while other commenters questioned whether fans would be willing to pay premium prices for a group-stage match, even one involving the host nation.
For those still hoping to attend, tickets remain widely available through both official and resale channels.
Listings on StubHub and SeatGeek showed fans could still secure seats for under $1,000, depending on location and fees.
Those prices are considerably lower than some of FIFA’s original asking prices.
The gap between FIFA’s face values and current resale listings has fueled speculation that some sellers may be taking losses as they attempt to move tickets before the tournament begins.
Nearly 180,000 World Cup tickets remain available on FIFA’s resale platform across the tournament, with group-stage matches accounting for the bulk of the inventory. The outlet also reported that median resale prices have fallen in recent weeks as kickoff approaches, according to the Financial Times.
The US is reportedly struggling to shift tickets, with 4,400 tickets still available on the resale portal for the team’s opening match against Paraguay, according to the outlet.
Despite steep discounts, the median ticket quoted on the site for the game still costs more than $800. The cheapest remaining tickets available for this game from FIFA directly cost $1,120.
The US opener is not the only match still seeking buyers, but the optics are particularly striking given that it features the host nation playing its first match in one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
SoFi Stadium, which will host eight World Cup matches during the tournament, is scheduled to welcome the US and Paraguay on Friday evening.
