By Zoey
For thousands of football supporters traveling to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the cost of attending matches extends well beyond expensive tickets, international flights and hotel accommodations.
Once inside the stadiums, many fans are discovering that food and beverage prices can add significantly to the overall cost of the tournament, prompting widespread discussion about affordability across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
While premium concession prices have long been a feature of major sporting events in North America, many international visitors say they were surprised by just how expensive meals and drinks have become during the World Cup. Beer prices, in particular, have emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest talking points, with some stadiums charging more than $20 for a single drink.
At several host venues, fans are being offered a mix of traditional stadium fare alongside extravagant specialty dishes. Among the most talked-about menu items is a $75 serving of “Fancy AF Tots” in Miami, featuring deep-fried hash browns topped with caviar, crème fraîche and chives.
Another eye-catching offering is the Empanada Mundial, a massive five-pound handmade chicken-and-cheese empanada priced at $40, designed to be shared among several people.
Elsewhere, stadium menus reflect local flavors. Fans in Guadalajara can purchase rib-eye tacos for around $8, while spectators in Los Angeles have been intrigued by the $22 Twinkie cheeseburger. Despite its unusual name, the burger contains no sweet snack cake; instead, it is topped with a Texas Twinkie, a bacon-wrapped jalapeño stuffed with brisket and cream cheese.
Although such prices are familiar to many American sports fans accustomed to attending NFL and college football games, visitors from Europe and other regions have expressed frustration over the higher costs.
Thomas Schüller, an engineer from Germany who traveled to Toronto to support his national team, said he was shocked after paying 24.25 Canadian dollars—about $17—for a single beer.
“It’s unfair. It’s not right. It’s wrong,” Schüller said, noting that the same drink would cost roughly one-third as much in Germany.
Despite his criticism, he admitted the high prices would not stop him from enjoying the tournament.
The reaction has been similar among supporters from several countries, many of whom say they expected higher prices during a global sporting event but were still caught off guard by the cost of everyday concessions.
Janine Arbetter, an Austrian fan attending matches in Miami, was surprised after purchasing a hot dog, chips and a soft drink for nearly $20 before adding a tip. Even with a promotional discount for paying with Visa, she described the meal as expensive for what she considered little more than a snack.
Social media has also become filled with photos of unusually priced concession items. Argentine supporters proudly shared pictures of $34 lobster rolls purchased during matches in Kansas City, while fans attending games in Toronto questioned paying nearly 40 Canadian dollars for a brisket sandwich served with chips and a bottled soft drink, with many describing the prices as excessive.
German supporter Daniel Feldmann took a more measured view, saying the prices were acceptable considering the World Cup’s status as one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Food and beverage offerings vary widely across the tournament because each stadium works with its own concession operators while following FIFA’s operational guidelines. As a result, every host city has developed menus that showcase local cuisine alongside traditional stadium favorites.
In Vancouver, fans can enjoy Canadian-inspired dishes including short rib poutine, featuring fries covered with beef gravy, pulled short rib and cheese curds, along with maple bacon smokies topped with bacon onion jam made using Canadian maple syrup.
Miami has leaned heavily into its multicultural culinary identity, offering Cuban-inspired pan con lechón sandwiches featuring roasted pork infused with citrus mojo sauce on toasted Cuban bread, as well as the oversized Empanada Mundial created especially for the tournament.
Officials overseeing concessions say the goal is to give visitors a taste of each host city’s local culture rather than offering a standardized menu across every venue.
“We want it to feel like Miami when you’re here,” said Zach Williams, vice president of operations at Miami Stadium for Sodexo Live. “Everything we do around the Miami Stadium, we want to make sure everybody understands that when they come here, they’re getting a Miami experience.”
Not every host city has embraced premium pricing.
Atlanta has earned praise from fans after maintaining the low concession prices that have become a hallmark of the stadium operated by Falcons owner Arthur Blank. During World Cup matches, slices of pizza cost $3, 32-ounce soft drinks are priced at $4, cheeseburgers sell for $5, chicken tenders with fries cost $6, and beers start at just $8.
Jonathan Arango, who traveled from Greenville, South Carolina, with his wife, daughter and father to attend a match in Atlanta, said the affordable food made a noticeable difference after already spending heavily on tickets.
He said the family spent around $50 on three taco orders, a slice of pizza, two bottles of water and a soft drink, adding that the prices were much more reasonable than at many other sporting events.
Mexico has presented a different challenge for supporters. At Mexico City Stadium, beer prices reached between 299 and 310 pesos, roughly $18, meaning a single drink could cost nearly an entire day’s minimum wage in the Mexican capital. The prices were also significantly higher than what fans typically pay at the same stadium during domestic sporting events.
Despite the complaints, many supporters acknowledge that attending a FIFA World Cup remains a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth the added expense. With fans from every corner of the globe gathering to celebrate football’s biggest tournament, most have chosen to accept the premium prices as part of the event.
Schüller summed up the mood shared by many visitors despite the sticker shock.
“The entire football world is having fun,” he said. “So cheers to that.”
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