MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is bracing itself tomorrow, Sunday, to host the most costly match in the history of global sports, when the Argentine and Spanish national teams meet in the 2026 World Cup final costing more than $1.4 billion, amid unprecedented logistical and security measures, and a historic halftime show that threatens to breach the regulations of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), according to the American newspaper The Washington Post.

Regulatory and production bodies have entered a race against time to prepare the field and secure the event, whose investment figures have reached record levels. In this report, we monitor the full details of the financial and logistical scene of the World Cup final:

The World Cup final has become the most expensive sporting event ever in terms of seat revenues and the value of tickets on the secondary and resale market, with the expected financial return from total final ticket sales reaching $1.46 billion, based on demand and the actual average seat price in the markets. $11,327 is the average actual price per ticket sold for the final match, $34,500 is the official price set by FIFA in the last hours for the box seats and premium trophy suite, $6,900 is the minimum price for the cheapest remaining ticket for entry into the distant stands.

Local authorities and sports bodies have spent hundreds of millions to prepare the infrastructure to meet FIFA's strict standards for the final match, with $16 million allocated to modify the stadium structure, including removing thousands of lower seats to expand the field area and develop drainage networks. $48 million is the cost of operating additional shuttle trains and buses and intensifying security measures for the final day only, which prompted the imposition of a unified transfer ticket worth $98 for fans to cover operating expenses.

The organizers of the artistic show sponsored by Global Citizen and supervised by artist Chris Martin face a dual challenge of protecting the genetically modified natural grass of the field and adhering to the time to avoid violating the regulations of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

The laws of the game impose a break not exceeding 15 minutes, but the production crews' need (7 minutes for setup, 11 minutes for the artistic show, and 7 minutes for dismantling and evacuation) will officially extend the break to between 20 and 25 minutes, amid technical concerns about the impact on the players' physical rhythm.

The musical show (Mega-mix) will be performed by Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber, and BTS, and the stars will not receive any fixed fees; rather, FIFA will bear production costs, with the show aiming to raise $100 million in donations for the Global Fund for Children's Sports Education.

Thousands of dancers have also been required to use flat, very light shoes, with heels completely banned, and to use moving platforms equipped with wide rubber wheels to distribute weights to avoid tearing or damaging the grass surface of the field.

FOX network, which is broadcasting the event, imposes financial conditions for benefiting from the broadcast, which is expected to break the billion-viewer barrier worldwide. The value of the advertising package for companies wishing to book one-minute broadcast slots during the final and halftime show is about $25 million, while Argentina and Spain compete for the champion's prize and guarantee the largest share of the total allocated value of top-tier prizes, which is $51 million for the International Federation.