England’s 2-4 win over Croatia in the World Cup opener has not only boosted the team’s standing as a title contender, but also triggered a surge in demand for tickets to its next matches. In Britain, the cheapest ticket for England’s game against Ghana in Boston had cost under £700 before kickoff against Croatia. After the victory, it rose by more than £227 and is now listed above £900 on FIFA’s official resale platform.
Premium seats have become especially sought after. Front-row seats in the top category are being offered for as much as about £17,000. A source familiar with the ticket market said, “People regained confidence after the win and decided to fly at the last minute,” adding, “As the excitement grows, so do the prices.”
The price jump is not limited to the Ghana match. Tickets for England’s final Group Stage game against Panama also rose sharply in recent days. The cheapest seat, which had sold for about £455, has already climbed past £680. The median price for the Panama match is now around £1,800, while the most expensive premium tickets are listed at about £11,000.
The rise has surprised some in the industry, which had expected demand to be weaker than forecast and prices to fall before the tournament. Instead, at least in England’s case, the opposite happened.