Is the Cost of FIFA Tickets Criminal?

Off the Pitch

Is the Cost of FIFA Tickets Criminal?

What’s going on: World Cup tickets are expensive — so expensive that New York and New Jersey are now investigating whether FIFA violated consumer protection law. On Wednesday, the two states’ attorneys general subpoenaed the organization over ticket practices for matches at MetLife Stadium in NJ. Specifically, they’re launching an inquiry into whether FIFA is artificially driving up prices and misleading fans about seat location. Tickets average over $1K and some go for over $30K for prime seats at the final, which is either the deal of a lifetime or roughly the price of a car. As New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport put it: “FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices.”

Let’s tackle this: Soccer — sorry, football — fans have been booing the World Cup rollout for months. This is the first time FIFA has used dynamic pricing, which, as anyone who tried to go to the Eras or Cowboy Carter tours knows, is a high-stress way to go into credit card debt for the nosebleeds. Watching from the couch is starting to look like the real VIP experience. Amid the backlash, FIFA and local officials have tried to soften the blow by offering lower-priced tickets (so scarce they triggered an EU consumer complaint) and cutting the $150 NJ Transit round-trip fare to $98 (still exponentially more than the usual $12.90). Some tourists have vowed to walk along the highway to MetLife Stadium... a whole other sport in itself.

Related: This Is What World Cup Fans Plan To Tell Their Bosses This Summer (Business Insider)

The News in 5

🗞️ Inflation jumped to its fastest pace in three years in April. One big thing is driving it.

🗞️ One of the biggest names in the 2028 Democratic presidential conversation just took themselves out of contention. Time to regroup?

🗞️ Top-ranked Jannik Sinner had a 30-match winning streak and a career Grand Slam on the line. Then his body crashed out at the French Open.

🗞️ The White House is cooking up something special for the country’s 250th birthday: a conceptual banknote with President Donald Trump’s portrait. Mr. Monopoly could never.

🗞️ The man accused of plotting to attack Taylor Swift’s Vienna concert issued a brief apology before sentencing. The court gave him 15 years.

To Infinity and Beyond

A Marvelous Time for a Moondance

What’s going on: Some kids get off the roller coaster and need a minute. Others sprint straight back to the line yelling, “Again.” NASA falls firmly into the second category right now. Less than two months after Artemis II's record-breaking lunar flyaround — the first crewed trip around the moon in more than 50 years — the agency unveiled phase one of its Moon Base initiative. And it’s committed $20 billion over the next seven years to make it real. Think: Landers, rovers, drones, and eventually astronauts living near the moon’s south pole, where scientists believe water ice exists. Three uncrewed missions are expected to launch before the end of this year. NASA plans to announce its next crew soon, and we’re just here to remind them of the bar Christina Koch set.

Talk about a giant leap: The goal isn’t just to revisit the moon. NASA wants humanity’s first long-term home on another world. But, first things first, Blue Origin will build the landers, while Astrolab and Lunar Outpost will build the moon buggies. Throw in some drones from Firefly Aerospace to map out the base, and astronauts could arrive as early as 2028. After that come power grids, permanent habitats, and regular crew rotations as NASA pushes toward a sustained human presence on the moon in the 2030s (no big deal). Think of the moon as the amuse-bouche. Mars remains the real entree — especially as China ramps up its own lunar ambitions.

Men and Their Balls

The Great Knicks Bandwagon Fan Boom

What’s going on: The New York Knicks — a team once known for misbegotten trades, mismanagement, and Matthew McConaughey’s cursed soda run — just made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. As the city celebrated, merch sold out. Watch parties became raucous enough to get shut down. NYC’s mayor even trolled over the win. In other words, it’s a good time to be a Knicks fan. And people have noticed. In the last few days, devotees who were loyal to the team through the bad years seem increasingly irked by those who’ve hopped on the “bandwagon.” As one Defector columnist wrote about fairweather fans sporting Knicks gear: “You didn't suffer for that shirt.” We regret to inform you we have some bandwagon fans on our team here at theSkimm — who, yes, just got their first Knicks hat three days ago — and they’re wondering…

Is it really that bad to be a bandwagon fan?: The “real” fans will likely tell you yes. As more people flock to teams when they’re hot, tickets and merch become more expensive. On the other hand, it’s good business. Plenty of WNBA fans only got interested because they hopped on the wave as popularity grew, but it helped the league explode. There’s also real science behind the bandwagon effect, so it’s hard to blame people in a society that prizes conformity and winning (though you can certainly judge them when you spot them, as this hilariously illustrated WikiHow article demonstrates). So, is it really wrong to jump on the bandwagon? As the long-time Knicks fan on our staff, Mallory, puts it: “It is a special fandom, and we welcome all to the party, but don’t act like you’ve been here… Welcome, and hopefully grab a broom.”

Quick Hits

💍 Your second-favorite jewelry designer and your fifth-favorite country singer got married.

🛒 Here are three things to check for to avoid groceries that have already been tampered with. Mom was right: Always grab from the very back.

👀 Gayle King’s ex-husband publicly apologized for cheating on her with her best friend decades ago. We won’t forgive you until she does.

🎆 Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen have a hot collab planned for the summer. Get ready for some juicy hotdog jokes.

🍺 We didn’t know beer pong could be fancy, but the version Kate Middleton plays is. Does she wear her tiara, too?

🤔 What does astrology have to do with the resurgence of Y2K everything? A lot.

On Our Calendar

Friday, May 29

🎶 Ariana Grande’s new single drops

It’s called “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” from her new album, Petal — and you can catch a (very, very short) preview here.

🍿 Calabasas Confidential premieres

The Netflix reality series follows a group of mostly 20-somethings over a Calabasas summer — many with last names you’ll recognize.

Saturday, May 30

🧡 World MS Day

Women are two to three times more likely to have multiple sclerosis. Know what to look for.

Sunday, May 31

😎 The Hills 20th Anniversary

Wear a headband, consider a trip to Paris, and check out what the cast of the millennial classic is up to these days.

Planning Ahead?

Check out the Skimm+ calendar — then sync it to yours so you never miss what’s coming up.

Things I’ve Tested Recently

Ali, Senior Commerce Director, here. I’ve been at theSkimm for over six years, which means I’ve tested hundreds upon hundreds of products. Here are the items I’ve recently been impressed with:

This bullet vibe that’s currently on sale and is discreet for travel
And this mini wand (I tested a lot for our Good for You Awards)
A curl-defining gel that doesn’t add crunch
A body serum that cures my post-shave leg itchiness
A hair growth duo because I’ve noticed some thinning at my natural part
And this curated snack box that hits the spot during the 3pm slump

Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Marisa Iallonardo, Molly Longman, Erika W. Smith, Mallory Simon, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.

Live Smarter

Sign up for the Daily Skimm email newsletter. Delivered to your inbox every morning and prepares you for your day in minutes.