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They’re moving the goal posts on concession prices.
Soccer fans have sparked debate online after revealing the alleged extortionate prices vendors are charging for food and drinks at a FIFA World Cup venue.
In a viral TikTok clip with over 100,000 views, the American ticketholder meant to “expose the prices” the stadium was charging — $9 for a 16.9 oz bottle of Coca-Cola and $7 for bottled water at a concession stand in an undisclosed stadium.
“Shame on you, FIFA,” they wrote in the caption.
For reference, a 2-liter bottle of Coke runs customers around $3 when purchased online at Walmart, while a 32-pack of Dasani costs approximately $4.98, per the retailer’s website.
Elsewhere in the US, one source claimed that pretzels cost $12 and a jumbo hot dog cost close to $14 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
And fans craving so-called “haute” cuisine will need to fork over a lot more.
At the SOFI stadium in Los Angeles, fans could expect to pay $23 for some loaded BBQ brisket nachos or 20 bucks for a chopped brisket burrito as of June.
Something called a Twinkie cheeseburger costs 22 bucks.
The price exposé sparked a flurry of reactions from commenters, with one writing, “Yeah, that’s not legal.”
Declared another, “Should be free, especially in this heat.”
While these price tags might not seem so egregious for US fans — where high costs are part and parcel of sporting events — they seemed like highway robbery to Europeans accustomed to cheaper stadium concessions.
One TikTok creator from the UK claimed in June that vendors at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium were charging $19 for a single cocktail — $27 for a double — and $16.50 for a beer.
Thomas Schüller, an engineer from Germany, felt royally ripped off in Toronto after purchasing a beer for 24.25 Canadian dollars (about $17 USD or 15 euros), the Independent reported.
“It’s unfair. It’s not right. It’s wrong,” Schüller stated, adding, “It’s three times the cost of what I pay in my country.”
His frustration reflects a broader gap in concession prices.
An Associated Press report found that fans are accustomed to paying approximately €4 to €5 Euros per beer — a fraction of what it costs in North America.
Although Schüller admitted that the price wouldn’t stop him from buying a refreshment while watching the game.
Some even accused FIFA of price gouging, defined as inflating the prices of essential items such as water.
“Companies should not be allowed to infinitely price gouge customers who attend their events,” exclaimed Wall Street Apes on X. They estimated that said Coca-Cola runs around 50 cents a bottle wholesale, meaning that the vendor was charging a 1,700% markup.
“Just because people choose to go to an event and are stuck there and are going to get hungry and thirsty, doesn’t mean an event should be able to mark items up 1,700% to rob them,” they wrote. “There needs to be legislation against this.”
However, some commenters felt that prices were standard for sporting events, with one defender writing, “They do that at the Yankees game.”
Meanwhile, others felt that the costs weren’t so unreasonable given the price of a World Cup ticket, which can go for tens of thousands of dollars, per CNBC.
“You’re paying a few thousand to watch a game of soccer. I think y’all can afford it,” scoffed one critic.
