World Cup 2026

World Cup tickets on a shoestring budget? These are the teams to watch!

Much has been made about the likes of Mexico, Colombia and Argentina being the most expensive teams to watch at the tournament.

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Irish native who switched from the music industry to the world of sport moving from Universal Music to AS in 2017. A keen runner, soccer player and now discovering the world's fastest growing sport of padel. A fútbol fanatic covering LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and other offbeat stories from the global game. Can always be found rooting for the underdog.
Update:

The 2026 World Cup kicks off next week in Mexico City as Javier Aguirre’s El Tri face South Africa with the game the first of the 104 that compose the expanded 48 team tournament.

Much has been said about the price of watching games in the USA/Canada and Mexico and as things stand, the cheapest available ticket for the inaugural game will give you little change from $2,000.

Mexico are the clear leaders when it comes to being the most expensive national team to watch at the 2026 World Cup but for those fans who are looking for a solid deal and simply are keen to savour a World Cup game up close, there are more economic alternatives.

‘All Whites’ cheapest team to follow at 2026 World Cup

According to the stellar TicketData.com, New Zealand are the cheapest team to watch at the tournament with the cheapest average ‘get-in’ price to see Darren Bazeley’s men in action being $294.

The ‘All Whites’ are in Group G and will face IR Iran, Egypt and Belgium.

At present a match ticket for New Zealand-Egypt in Vancouver’s BC Place on June 21 has a get-in price of $268.

Other economic alternatives

Should you find yourself on the wrong side of the country to see New Zealand, then IR Iran and Curaçao are alternative options for the cost conscious.

Both teams have an average ‘get-in’ price for their group stage games of $308 and $316 respectively. Iran are also in Group G and play their games in LA and Seattle.

World Cup debutants Curaçao are in Group E (along with Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador) and will play their matches in Houston, Kansas City and Philadelphia.

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