World Cup stadium food and drink prices leaked with £14 beers | Football | Sport

All the time for talking is over, as the 2026 World Cup finals have arrived. It’s been a chaotic build-up to sport’s biggest contest, with one of the most controversial aspects surrounding the tournament being the hefty ticket prices.

It’s forced football fans across the globe to turn their back on the World Cup, with many having been turned off by the prices. But for those lucky enough to see the biggest games at the World Cup, it’s likely they’ll have to keep their hand in their pocket, given prices inside the stadium aren’t much better.

A photo shared by @NoahRiffe on X showcased the prices of food and drink on sale at Lumen Field – one of the World Cup host venues in Seattle. It’s bad news for anyone looking to get on the beers, given a can of Stella Artois (454ml) is coming in at a whopping £14.25 ($18.99)!

There is a cheaper option, only just, with a local American beer coming in at a more respectable price of 13.50 ($17.99). That’s one way to avoid a heavy hangover the next morning…

For those staying off the beer, it doesn’t get much better with a litre of water priced at £7.80 ($10.49). Considering the high temperatures expected in the States during this summer’s tournament, the prices are certainly eyebrow-raising.

A bag of nuts is priced at £6.75 ($8.99), while a soft pretzel or kettle corn will set you back £10 ($13.49). For ice cream dots – whatever they are – it will be the sum of £9 ($11.99), with a churro costing £8.20 (10.99). It’s worth noting the prices of food and drink may differ from venue to venue.

It is by no means the cheapest World Cup of all time, but FIFA president Gianni Infantino was quick to defend ticket prices during the pre-World Cup press conference on Wednesday. He explained: “The starting price at $60 is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the playoff phases.

“If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices. Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development ⁠of football.”

The action gets underway on Thursday night when host nation Mexico welcome South Africa to the Azteca Stadium.