FIFA and host stadiums are using different pricing strategies for food and drink concessions during the 2026 World Cup [1].

These pricing models determine the financial accessibility of the tournament for fans. While most venues aim to maximize revenue through high costs, a few cities have opted for lower prices to improve the spectator experience [1, 2].

Sports economist Victor Matheson said concession prices are typically determined through revenue-sharing arrangements between FIFA and the governing bodies of the host stadiums [1]. These agreements often incentivize high pricing to increase the total pool of funds shared between the organization and its local partners [1].

However, the approach is not uniform across all U.S. host cities. In Atlanta, the stadium has implemented a "fan-first" strategy to keep costs manageable [2, 3]. According to reports, concession prices in Atlanta are more than half the price of those found at other World Cup venues [2].

Other locations, such as Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area, follow more traditional high-revenue models [4]. This discrepancy has led to contrasting views on the tournament's commercial nature. Some reports characterize the pricing at various stadiums as extortionate, while others highlight the ability of individual cities to mitigate these costs through local policy [2, 5].

FIFA maintains overall control over the commercial environment of the tournament, but the actual execution of pricing at the point of sale often depends on the specific agreement with the venue operator [1].

“Concession prices in Atlanta are more than half the price of those at other World Cup venues”

The variation in pricing reveals a tension between FIFA's global revenue mandates and the local desire of host cities to maintain public goodwill. By allowing venues like Atlanta to deviate from high-margin pricing, the tournament demonstrates that the financial burden on fans is not a fixed requirement of the FIFA model, but rather a choice made by individual stadium operators.