Why a water bottle is $3 at Atlanta's World Cup stadium but $8.50 in Dallas
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Thirsty? You're in luck if you're at a World Cup match in Atlanta, where a small draft beer goes for $5. In other U.S. cities hosting games, food and drinks can be much pricier.
Why it matters: There is a wild variance in prices for food, water and other drinks across the 11 U.S. cities hosting the World Cup this year.
State of play: Unlike previous World Cups, where FIFA had one concession model throughout all games, this year it partnered with different operators, per a spokesperson.
- "Food and beverage pricing at FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums is broadly in line with pricing at regular events held at each respective venue. As a result, prices may vary between venues," the spokesperson tells Axios.
- FIFA did not respond to a question about how the revenue is shared among FIFA and the venues.
Case in point: A 20-ounce water bottle — one of the few items every U.S. stadium offers at concession stands — costs $3 in Atlanta and $8.50 in Dallas.
Zoom in: At Atlanta Stadium, fans are seeing remarkably low prices — $2 for a hot dog, $9 for a large draft beer — because "[we] want people to feel like this is their home, safe and secure, embraced, loved and respected," Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank, whose sports entertainment company operates the stadium, recently told The Athletic.
- Hiking prices during Atlanta's eight matches was a non-starter, Blank said.
Zoom out: It's a different story at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, where a 20-ounce craft beer goes for $24.50. A brisket sandwich costs $18 and a water bottle is $7.
The intrigue: U.S. stadiums have also adapted their menus to showcase regional cuisine. Dallas Stadium is feeding into foreigners' Texas barbecue obsession with options like brisket nachos ($17.50), chopped beef sandwiches ($14.50) and Texas pie dogs ($8.50).
What they're saying: In Houston, where prices are on the lower end compared to other U.S. cities, Elizabeth Feria of Chicago said higher prices are "to be expected for a major event."
- "We're making our own tailgate here," Ryan Hamilton, a fan from Scotland, told Axios Boston outside a Trader Joe's alongside two friends enjoying some beer.
- "We're just trying to have fun and trying to save a lot more money."
Yes, but: Didier Occident of Virginia, who was at the Brazil-Haiti match last week in Philadelphia, told Axios that the prices were too expensive.
- "I go to a lot of sporting events and I knew with the way that FIFA was kind of gouging with the tickets" that prices would be high, "but for us, this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
