Fans criticize Copa America ticket prices

The holding of the Copa América in the United States, marked by high ticket prices and only partially occupied stadiums, raised questions from local audiences and tourists about the pricing and marketing strategies of the organizers.

The average ticket price is over US$200, a price that, despite attracting spectators to games of popular teams like Argentina, reveals gaps in the stands for other matches. For the semi-final between Argentina and Colombia, for example, the cheapest ticket costs US$249 (R$1,363, at the current exchange rate) and the most expensive, US$1,006 (R$5,509).

The presence of Lionel Messi and the Argentine national team, world champions, is an attraction, with large crowds at the team’s games and the most expensive tickets in the tournament.

However, the dynamic pricing strategy, which adjusts prices based on demand, has been seen as a barrier for many fans, especially those from Latin American countries.

CONMEBOL celebrated the sales success, with more than 1 million tickets sold before the start of the Copa América. However, empty seats at important games and the difficulty in attracting larger crowds for other teams’ matches indicate that the pricing strategy may have been miscalculated.

The choice of the United States as the host of the tournament, which was initially scheduled to be held in Ecuador, sought to capitalize on the country’s growing soccer fan base and pave the way for the 2026 World Cup, with games in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

However, the early elimination of popular teams in North America such as Mexico and the United States, combined with high ticket prices, limited the expected impact.