This $79 World Cup “experience” has fans asking: Who is this for?

FIFA’s latest attempt to monetize the World Cup experience is turning heads for all the wrong reasons. With the tournament set to begin this week across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, fans are already navigating record-breaking ticket prices, rising accommodation costs, and travel headaches.

But one new offering in particular has sparked confusion online: a $79 “Super Shoutout” that lets supporters display their name on stadium screens before matches.

FIFA’s latest moneymaking scheme

In theory, it’s a fun, personalized way to be part of the World Cup atmosphere. But the reality is far more limited than many might expect (especially for $79). According to FIFA’s own terms, the paid message is not shown during live match action. Instead, the “shoutout” appears only during the pre-game window, meaning fans hoping to see their name broadcast to the global TV audience are likely to be disappointed. The display is also not guaranteed to appear for any specific duration or in any specific location within the stadium screens.

So fans are paying for a moment that exists strictly in the buildup, not during the game itself, and not necessarily in a way most spectators will even notice. Even if they would though, it’s a pretty steep price.

The program, which covers all 72 group-stage matches, allows users to select a game, enter their name, and purchase up to four shoutout slots per order. At $79 per slot before tax, a fan opting for multiple messages could spend more than $300 for what is essentially a pre-match stadium feature.

FIFA states that purchases are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with availability limited. It also notes that credit cards are not charged until approval, and that inclusion is ultimately at FIFA’s discretion.

The comes at a time when FIFA is already under scrutiny over pricing strategies for the 2026 tournament. Ticket costs have drawn criticism from supporter groups and watchdog organizations, with some calling the pricing model increasingly inaccessible for average fans. FIFA, meanwhile, has defended its approach by pointing to North American market standards and the scale of investment required to stage the expanded tournament, with revenues partially reinvested into global football development.

Still, the “Super Shoutout” has become another point in an ongoing debate about how far sports organizations can push microtransactions inside live events before the experience itself starts to feel fragmented into paid tiers. For some fans, the idea of seeing their name inside a World Cup stadium may still hold novelty value. For others, they may wonder what exactly they are paying for if it doesn’t happen during the actual match.

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