The report’s inflation-adjusted comparison places the highest ticket category at US$1,058 in 1994 and US$1,813 in 2022. Earlier recorded prices, between 1934 and 1990, were approximately US$99 to US$303.
That rise cannot be explained by inflation alone. The final now attracts corporate buyers, international visitors and supporters prepared to pay for a once-every-four-years experience. The fixture’s value is tied not only to the teams involved, but also to the event’s global reach.
Historical comparisons carry limitations, because records from some tournaments cover individual tickets rather than complete official pricing tables. Even so, the broad direction is clear: the final has become a far more valuable commercial asset.
The report says dynamic pricing has shifted the reference point for supporters. Instead of a fixed face value, prices can change according to demand for a particular seat and the stage of the sales process.
That model allows to capture more of the value created by scarcity. A final has a limited number of seats, a unique matchup and no equivalent replay in the same tournament. When demand rises, the price can rise with it.
For supporters, however, the change makes affordability harder to predict. The issue is no longer simply whether a ticket is expensive, but whether its price can move beyond the reach of ordinary fans before they complete a purchase.
Unofficial resale adds another layer of uncertainty. The report says resellers remain able to charge heavily inflated prices, blurring the line between official commercial strategy and traditional ticket touting.
As the tournament approaches and the final pairing becomes known, the next test will be transparency: whether can explain its pricing structure clearly while preserving meaningful access for supporters.