Despite soccer being the most popular sport in the world, it’s still not a major player in the United States sports scene.
Too many people are going to miss out on the chance to watch arguably the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi because the tickets are outrageously expensive.
The U.S. needs to improve its soccer access in order for the game to grow in the country and for the Men’s National Team to evolve into one of the elite programs of the world. Other parts of the world understand how to keep the game local and accessible to the working class.
With Inter Miami signing Messi, there are more eyes on Soccer than ever across the country. His arrival in the U.S. shows that the cost of watching soccer for the average American is a significant problem. Admirers of the Argentine shouldn’t have their savings account take a major hit for a ticket to watch him live on the pitch.
Messi has attracted big-name celebrities such as LeBron James, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian and more in just his first month with Inter Miami. The greatest soccer player in the world is visiting cities across the country as the MLS season comes to an end, meaning the demand to watch him live is rising and way too costly.
When Inter Miami visited LAFC at BMO Stadium on Sept. 3, tickets for the match were costly for the 22,000 fans that attended. Two days before the match, the get-in price for tickets was $558 on StubHub according to the LA Times. For context, the average cost of LAFC’s lowest ticket for their next three home games is $62.
Ticket demands in markets such as Orlando, Chicago, and Charlotte are high as the MLS season ends. In Miami, home games cost a minimum of $100 according to StubHub. Ticket prices are rising and making availability for a family of four extremely difficult as they would have to pay over $500 just to get into a stadium to watch Messi. People will still buy tickets to watch Messi but mostly people with a good financial standing.
In comparison to Europe, these prices are unimaginable. Tickets to watch a soccer match in Europe, where the sport is embedded so closely with culture, rarely ever cost more than $100. For example, Manchester City is coming off a historical season and possesses one of the best players in the world, Erling Haaland. Their lowest ticket for their home match against Nottingham Forrest is $65. Real Madrid is the most recognizable soccer team in the world and tickets for their upcoming home match against Las Palmas start at $59 according to StubHub.
It’s customary for soccer tickets in Europe to be affordable as the sport has been a traditional pastime for the working class. Everyone has the opportunity to go to matches and experience the beautiful game in a nearby city. The most expensive tickets are for the World Cup or marquee matches during the regular season, not for regular league games.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to American shores, soccer needs to remain a sport for the people rather than those with heavier wallets. Prices and accessibility need to be available for all if the U.S. is going to embrace soccer as one of the top sports in the country. Messi is highlighting that problem which can hopefully be addressed by the start of the 2024 MLS campaign.
