New data puts World Cup tickets vs. mortgage payments side by side — and the gap reflects the US housing affordability picture in 2026
World Cup fever is arriving in the US. For most Americans in host cities, the price of a ticket looks a lot like their monthly mortgage payment.
A June 2026 analysis by PropertyShark found that the cheapest ticket to the most expensive game in each city equals at least one full month’s mortgage or rent across five of the 11 US host cities.
In comparing World Cup tickets vs. mortgage payments, PropertyShark calculated estimated monthly mortgage payments from each city’s local median sale price. The firm used a standard 30-year mortgage at 6.5 percent interest with a 20 percent down payment. Rental data was sourced from Rentcafe.
The financial barrier is particularly pronounced as the country continues to navigate a broader housing affordability crisis. For mortgage professionals working in these markets, the city-by-city breakdown tells a familiar story.
Time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/FFEolT49RU
— World Cup 2026 (@WorldCupMotion) June 10, 2026
World Cup ticket vs. mortgage payments: a comparison across the five host cities
What follows is a look at game ticket costs alongside mortgage and rent payments for each of the US host cities. All ticket figures reflect the lowest publicly referenced prices as of June 4, 2026, and are subject to change as the tournament progresses.
New York: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ (July 19 final)
Cheapest ticket: $7,256
Avg monthly mortgage: $4,096
Avg monthly rent: $4,872
New York has one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. Even so, the July 19 final premium stands apart: the cheapest seat is priced at $7,256. Locals are looking at spending nearly two months’ mortgage or six weeks’ rent to attend.
Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (June 27 – Colombia vs Portugal)
Cheapest ticket: $2,700
Avg monthly mortgage: $2,731
Avg monthly rent: $2,696
The Colombia versus Portugal match is the most expensive game scheduled for Miami Hard Rock Stadium. With the average monthly mortgage at $2,731 and average rent at $2,696, a ticket to the June 27 game costs locals a full month’s mortgage or rent.
Dallas: AT&T Stadium (July 14 semi-final)
Cheapest ticket: $2,391
Avg monthly mortgage: $2,351
Avg monthly rent: $1,578
Dallas residents looking to attend a top-rated group match would pay at least $1,096. That’s almost half the average monthly mortgage payment of $2,351, or nearly three weeks’ rent.
Those willing to pay for a semi-final seat face a minimum of $2,391, roughly equal to one month’s mortgage or six weeks of rent.
Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (July 15 semi-final)
Cheapest ticket: $2,208
Avg monthly mortgage: $2,149
Avg monthly rent: $1,814
Atlantans wanting to see the July 15 semi-final live at Mercedes-Benz Stadium are contending with a $2,208 minimum get-in price. The cost is enough to cover one month’s mortgage or about five weeks’ rent.
A more typical group-stage game such as Spain versus Saudi Arabia starts at $653, or about one-third of the average monthly mortgage.
Kansas City: Arrowhead Stadium (July 11 quarter-final)
Cheapest ticket: $1,567
Avg monthly mortgage: $1,477
Avg monthly rent: $1,342
Kansas City’s cheapest quarter-final ticket at $1,567 exceeds the city’s $1,477 average monthly mortgage payment and $1,342 average rent. Even a top-rated group-stage game like Argentina versus Algeria starts at $823 — more than half a month’s mortgage or rent.
What these numbers mean for brokers
The PropertyShark data arrives against a housing market that is improving — but only slowly. First American’s Real House Price Index showed affordability in December 2025 improved nearly 9 percent year over year — the tenth straight month of annual gains and the strongest reading since 2022. But payments in high-cost metros like New York and Miami remain well above historical norms.
Realtor.com’s analysis published in February 2026 showed the housing market had recalibrated rather than reset in the four years since mortgage rates began climbing. The median list price rose 8.1 percent over that period.
A LiveSportsonTV survey of 1,008 US soccer fans found that 52 percent had already given up on buying World Cup tickets because of high prices. For brokers advising clients in these markets, that figure reflects the same household budget pressure playing out in mortgage conversations every day.
Philadelphia offers one counterpoint. With a median sale price of $280,000 and an average monthly mortgage of $1,416, it is the most affordable housing market among the 11 host cities. And even there, the priciest World Cup match costs nearly three weeks’ mortgage payments.
The World Cup ticket vs. mortgage payments figures are a reminder. In these markets, discretionary spending and housing costs are now competing for the same household budget.
For more coverage of US housing affordability, visit our mortgage market updates.
