Fans heading to the 2026 World Cup may need to prepare for more than just expensive tickets, with new data showing significant variation in food and drink prices across host stadiums.
According to research by SeatPick, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara ranks as the most expensive venue across all 16 stadiums, where a basic match-day combo of one beer and one meal costs USD34.24 (RM160.90).
The study focused only on in-stadium spending and did not include ticket prices or travel costs. It highlighted how match-day expenses can quickly add up once fans are inside the venue.
Two other U.S. stadiums follow closely behind. MetLife Stadium ranks second at USD33.22 (RM155.95), while SoFi Stadium comes in third at USD32.24 (RM151.48).
SeatPick CEO Gilad Zilberman noted that American venues dominate the higher end of the rankings due to the overall cost of living in major host cities such as the San Francisco Bay Area, New York-New Jersey, and Los Angeles. He added that fans should be aware of how quickly a full day at the stadium can become expensive.
The gap between regions is especially striking when compared with venues in Mexico, which occupy the more affordable end of the list.
The cheapest stadium is Estadio Akron, where the same beer-and-meal combination costs just USD9.77 (RM45.90), a difference of more than USD24 compared to Levi’s Stadium.
Mexico’s other venues also remain relatively low-cost, with Estadio Azteca at USD10.77 (RM50.60) and Estadio BBVA at USD13.90 (RM65.30).
Even within the United States, prices vary significantly. GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is the most affordable U.S. venue in the ranking at USD22.37 (RM105.00), still notably higher than Mexico’s cheapest options.
The findings underline how match-day costs at the 2026 World Cup could differ sharply depending on location, with U.S. stadiums consistently ranking as the most expensive for fans inside the venue.
