Mamdani jersey sale draws resale criticism after FIFA price attacks
A limited New York City World Cup jersey release sold out fast, then appeared on eBay at steep markups after Mamdani criticized FIFA resales.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
New York City’s limited World Cup jersey sale quickly produced the kind of resale market Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized FIFA for allowing, Fortune reported. The episode matters because the city priced the shirts at $50 as an affordable civic keepsake, but scarcity pushed some buyers toward listings above $1,000.
According to Fortune, Mamdani announced the New York City-inspired jerseys in a GQ feature published Thursday. The city made 1,500 shirts available to the public, with sales limited to in-person purchases at the official CityStore when it opened Friday at 9 a.m.
By early Friday, people had started lining up outside the CityStore, The City reporter Katie Honan said on X, according to Fortune. Fortune reported that the line wrapped around the David Dinkins building, through a plaza and toward the federal courthouse several blocks away as temperatures rose past 92 degrees.
Fortune reported that the $50 jerseys soon appeared on eBay for as much as $1,150. That price would represent a markup of about 2,000% over the city’s original sale price.
A clash with Mamdani’s FIFA campaign
The resale surge drew attention because Mamdani has made World Cup affordability a public issue. Fortune reported that he and Gov. Kathy Hochul have announced measures aimed at lowering costs for New Yorkers during the tournament, including 1,000 World Cup tickets at $50 each with free roundtrip transportation for working-class residents.
The state also committed $6 million for a free watch party for 50,000 people on Central Park’s Great Lawn and fan events across all five boroughs, Fortune reported. The city has also launched what Fortune described as the broadest ferry schedule in NYC Ferry history.
Mamdani previously targeted FIFA’s pricing and resale policies through his “Game Over Greed” petition, Fortune reported. The petition called on FIFA to end dynamic pricing, cap resale prices and set aside 15% of tickets for local residents at reduced prices.
In a video announcing the petition, Mamdani said FIFA’s resale system meant someone could buy a ticket for $60 and resell it for $6,000, according to Fortune. At the Bronx launch of the petition, he accused FIFA of treating World Cups as profit opportunities rather than events for the people who support the sport, Fortune reported.
City says another release is coming
Fortune reported that a CityStore employee told the waiting crowd Friday that the jerseys had sold out. The Mayor’s Office did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment, but Mamdani said Friday morning that another jersey release would happen.
Some New Yorkers criticized the rollout on social media, according to Fortune, questioning why the city restricted sales to a small in-person release at a store with limited capacity. Others compared the scene to streetwear drops, Fortune reported.
Wharton economist Judd Kessler has described this type of pricing problem as a hidden market, Fortune reported: when a scarce item is sold below what buyers are willing to pay, the extra value can shift to lines, waiting time and resellers. Fortune noted one difference between the city’s jersey sale and FIFA’s resale exchange: FIFA collects a fee on resales through its platform, while the CityStore does not receive money from eBay flips.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.