Inflated World Cup ticket pricing called out in giant Paddy Power pants stunt

A giant pair of inflatable Paddy Power underpants has been spotted near the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, highlighting the ‘pants’ prices football fans have been hit with at the 2026 World Cup.

The Irish bookmaker posted the eye-catching image on social media alongside a simple message to competition organisers: “These World Cup ticket prices are pants”. The provocative stunt comes in response to coverage around the tournament’s opening games being dominated by empty seats at each match.

Spokesman Paddy Power said: “Our hot air balloon isn’t the only thing inflated around this tournament: the ticket prices are pants. Just like our oversized green underwear, the tournament organisers are full of hot air when it comes to looking after fans.”

Extortionate ticket pricing and empty seats are just the latest controversies around the tournament this summer: following the scandals around hotel room bookings, public transport to stadiums exceeding £100 in some cases, and fans and match officials alike being denied visas.

The activation is the latest mischief from the bookie, following its blockbuster ‘Nobody Does Football Better Than Us’ ad campaign starring Hollywood royalty Rob Lowe and British national treasure Danny Dyer.

The USA v UK ‘soccer vs football’ battle celebrates proper football fan culture in all its glory, with today’s pants-pricing spectacle serving tournament organisers a strong reminder that fans have been hit hardest by the rising costs of watching live football.

BAFTA-winning actor Danny Dyer, who stars in the Paddy Power campaign, commented: “As everyone should know by now, nobody does football better than the fans. Whoever came up with these ticket prices must have been having a laugh. I’m just not having it. It’s a proper stitch-up and we need to sort it out lively. A World Cup that everyday fans are priced out of? Just sounds pants, doesn’t it?”

The enormous undies hot-air balloon has already made an appearance during this year’s tournament, with former England striker and Paddy Power ambassador Peter Crouch filming the first-ever podcast episode recorded from a pair of giant underpants with Steve Sidwell on Sunday.

Following the flight, Crouch commented: “This World Cup feels like it's going to be fairly bonkers in almost every way. The scale of everything - from the stadiums to the ticket prices - just feels so different to anything we've seen before. I've only been here a few days and have already recorded an episode of my podcast hanging from a pair of giant, inflatable Paddy Power pants. I think that pretty much sums up how the next few weeks are going to be.”

All images supplied by Pitch.