resellers flip – Hours after Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordable New York-themed World Cup jerseys went on sale for $50—only 1,500 available—resellers appeared online listing them for as much as $999. The jump from the original price is drawing attention to how quickly limited,
Jerseys meant to be a bargain in New York were, within hours, being sold like a collectible with a price tag that shocks the people who queued for them.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s New York City-themed World Cup jerseys—priced at $50 for residents—hit the market earlier this week. and the demand was immediate. Mamdani unveiled the apparel in an Instagram post saying they were “made by New Yorkers. for New Yorkers.” Only 1. 500 jerseys were available to purchase. and people stood in line for hours outside the City of New York’s official store to get one.
But the moment the jerseys went on sale, resellers moved in. Listings appeared on sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace, with jerseys going for at least $400. Some sellers asked as much as $999, a steep markup from the $50 residents paid for the same jerseys on Friday.
Mamdani’s team had positioned the jerseys as part of a broader affordability push—one rooted in who should benefit when events and city symbols get distributed. By comparison, official FIFA jerseys are more expensive: the most expensive team gear costs $375, while the cheapest alternative costs $70.
The jersey flare-up lands on top of Mamdani’s past fight over the cost of major soccer events. Last September. he launched a petition urging FIFA to ditch its dynamic pricing model and lower ticket prices for New Yorkers. He also criticized FIFA’s decision to allow ticket reselling on FIFA’s official platform without a price cap.
The resale argument isn’t theoretical. Dynamic pricing—when businesses adjust ticket prices in real time based on factors such as demand and market conditions—has become a point of contention for ticket buyers expecting fixed prices. The resale market can also turn volatile when vendors upcharge tickets by hundreds of dollars.
That concern mirrors what Mamdani said he negotiated for in May. Following negotiations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Mamdani secured 1,000 World Cup tickets for New Yorkers at $50 each in May. In a video posted to X in May. Mamdani—describing himself as a lifelong fan of the London soccer club Arsenal—said: “Last year we said we’d fight for cheaper tickets for New Yorkers. and today I’m proud to announce. just like Arsenal. we got it done.”.
The city’s World Cup season is already underway in its own way. New York City and New Jersey are among the host cities for this year’s tournament. The first local match, held at MetLife Stadium, takes place on Saturday evening between Brazil and Morocco.
Mamdani’s broader policy agenda has leaned into affordability as a governing theme. In May, he outlined a plan to expand affordable housing. A month earlier, he and New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a new pied-à-terre tax targeting wealthy people who own a secondary property in the city but live elsewhere.
In that context, the surge from $50 to $400—then up to $999—has turned a limited run of city-made jerseys into a test of whether affordability sticks once market pressure and resale incentives kick in.
Zohran Mamdani World Cup jerseys New York City eBay Facebook Marketplace resale FIFA dynamic pricing Gianni Infantino MetLife Stadium Arsenal
People really paying $999 for a jersey is wild.
I waited in line for like 2 hours and then boom, some dude is already on Facebook selling it for 800+. That’s crazy, like what even happened to “made by New Yorkers for New Yorkers”??
So resellers flipped them same day… that means the mayor’s office did it on purpose? Like $50 sounds too good to be true, and then suddenly it’s eBay season. Also I’m pretty sure FIFA doesn’t even allow reselling unless it’s on their own app so idk lol.
This is why I hate “limited” drops. They call it affordability but it’s still just a money game. If the cheapest FIFA stuff is like $70, how are NYC jerseys going up to $999? Resellers must’ve bought the whole 1,500 in minutes or something, like where did they even get that fast.