Indiana vs. Miami National Championship Tickets: Should You Buy Early or Wait?

The 2026 CFP National Championship Game between No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami is not just the college football matchup with the highest demand at SeatGeek, it’s blowing every other previous game out of the water. 

The current overall average resale ticket price for Indiana vs. Miami is $4,983.68 as of Monday afternoon (Jan. 12). The college football contest with the highest average resale ticket price at SeatGeek was last year’s national championship battle between Ohio State and Notre Dame, which ended up at $3,444.77.

This is unparalleled demand for college football, so what is the best strategy for buying tickets for Indiana vs. Miami? Should you buy the tickets now or wait a bit longer and hope the price drops? Let’s look at some recent games to see if we can identify any patterns. 

Why the Indiana vs. Miami National Championship Has Record Demand

This matchup is a perfect storm for ticket interest for a few reasons.

This is the first official national championship game where one team will be playing at its home stadium, as Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens is the host for this showdown. Obviously that makes it easier for local fans to attend the game, and they can justify spending more on tickets since they’ll be saving in other areas (like not having to spend on airfare or hotels). This is also Miami’s first national championship appearance since 2002, so this fanbase has been hungry for the Hurricanes to rise back to prominence. 

On the other side, Indiana is the ultimate Cinderella story. When Curt Cignetti took over as head coach two years ago, the Hoosiers had not compiled a single 10-win season in its 123-year history. All Cignetti has done is go 26-2, and he has Indiana on the doorstep of the program’s first-ever national championship. 

Indiana is well-known for its college basketball fandom, but the Hoosier fans have come out in full force to support the football team. Indiana’s semifinal matchup against Oregon at the Peach Bowl and quarterfinal matchup against Alabama at the Rose Bowl had the two highest average resale ticket prices of any neutral site game for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. Additionally, a whopping 47% of all ticket purchases for the Peach Bowl at SeatGeek came from the state of Indiana. For the Rose Bowl, Indiana was also the leading state at 24% of all ticket sales.

Looking at the Ticket History for Previous Similar Championship Matchups 

While this is the first time that a national championship game is being played at one of the participating team’s home stadiums, it’s not the first time that it’s been played at one team’s home state. There have been seven previous national championship games where that has been the case, with the most recent one coming on Jan. 13, 2020, with No. 1 LSU taking on No. 3 Clemson at the Superdome in New Orleans. 

Additionally, there have been Super Bowls where the location has been at one of the participating team’s home venues. There have been two in the past five years: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium for Super Bowl LV (Feb. 7, 2021) and Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl LVI (Feb. 13, 2022). With Buccaneers-Chiefs Super Bowl inventory greatly impacted by COVID-19, we’ll just focus on that Rams-Bengals matchup for this. 

LSU vs. Clemson Average Resale Ticket Price for 2020 National Championship

Rams vs. Bengals Average Resale Ticket Price for Super Bowl LVI 

Takeaways From Previous Championship Matchups Held in One Team’s Home State or Stadium

Looking at recent championships played in a participating team’s home state or home stadium reveals a consistent pattern: prices tend to peak immediately after the matchup is set, then gradually decline as the event approaches. In LSU vs. Clemson at the 2020 National Championship, average resale prices fell nearly 40% from matchup finalization to game day, while Rams vs. Bengals at Super Bowl LVI saw an even steeper drop of more than 50% despite massive initial demand and a true home-stadium advantage for Los Angeles. 

In both cases, prices fluctuated day to day, but buyers who waited until the final week, and especially the final 48 hours, were rewarded with significantly lower averages than early purchasers. The data suggests that while home-team championships generate major demand, they also encourage early speculative pricing that often softens once inventory stabilizes and sellers adjust expectations closer to kickoff.

But Could Indiana-Miami Be an Outlier for Ticket Demand?

Again, given the matchup, this could be an unusual case that bucks previous industry trends. The average resale ticket price for each day for Indiana-Miami has gone up since the matchup was officially finalized on Jan. 9.

1/9/26: $4,599.22  1/10/26: $5,419.56 1/11/26: $5,586.71

Another note to keep in mind is that last year’s national championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame actually saw the average resale ticket price go up closer to kickoff.

The early movement for Indiana vs. Miami suggests this game could behave differently than past home-state championships. Prices have continued to climb in the days immediately following matchup finalization, signaling sustained demand from both a deep-pocketed Miami fanbase and a national surge of interest from Indiana supporters willing to travel. 

While historical examples like LSU-Clemson and Rams-Bengals eventually softened closer to game day, last year’s Ohio State-Notre Dame title game is a reminder that marquee matchups don’t always follow the same script. 

With limited inventory, a true home-stadium advantage and two fanbases showing little hesitation to buy early, Indiana-Miami has all the makings of a national championship where waiting may not deliver the same value buyers have seen in the past—making flexibility and close price monitoring more important than ever.

Expert Opinion on What to Expect for Indiana-Miami Ticket Prices

We asked Heather Riley, SeatGeek's Senior Manager of Integrated Partnerships as well as a huge college football fan, for her perspective on the national championship ticket prices for Indiana vs. Miami.

“For the first time in the CFP era, a team will play the national championship at its home venue, creating an unprecedented demand dynamic with a meaningful share of interest coming from traveling Indiana fans. That combination makes pricing behavior especially difficult to predict. I'd recommend traveling fans avoid that uncertainty by buying earlier if they see a price they like, but local Miami fans might have an opportunity to secure a great last-minute deal due to the dynamics of the market and unique situation."

Tips for Saving on Tickets for the Indiana-Miami National Championship

There’s no guarantee whether prices will go up or down before kickoff, but that doesn’t mean fans are powerless. There are still plenty of ways to shop smart and find value on National Championship tickets.

Monitor Prices Daily and Use Price Alerts to Do the Work for You

Ticket prices for the National Championship can swing quickly as sellers adjust listings and new inventory becomes available. Checking prices regularly helps, but setting SeatGeek price alerts makes it even easier by notifying you when prices drop or tickets hit your preferred range, so you can act quickly without constantly refreshing listings.

Be Flexible With Seat Location

Premium seats tend to see the biggest early price spikes. If you’re open to upper-level sections or end zone seating, you’re more likely to find relative value as kickoff approaches, especially if sellers start competing on price.

Consider Waiting, But Set a Personal Price Ceiling

Historically, many championship games have rewarded buyers who waited until the final week or final 48 hours. That said, Indiana-Miami is showing signs of bucking that trend. Decide in advance the maximum you’re willing to pay, and be ready to buy once listings hit that number rather than chasing a perfect low that may never come.

Use All-In Pricing to Compare Listings Accurately

Make sure you’re comparing total prices, not just ticket face values. SeatGeek shows all-in pricing upfront, so the price you see includes fees. That’s unlike some other sites where extra costs are added at checkout. Seeing the full price from the start makes it easier to spot true value and avoid last-minute surprises.

Act Quickly When Value Appears 

In high-demand games like this, well-priced tickets don’t last long. If you see a listing that fits your budget and seating preferences, hesitation can be costly since those tickets are often the first to sell.

Stick With a Secure, Guaranteed Platform

When buying high-demand tickets, use a trusted site like SeatGeek that offers buyer protections like our Buyer’s Guarantee. Purchasing from unverified sources, like classifieds or social media marketplaces, can leave you stranded if something goes wrong. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is, so prioritize safety and peace of mind over chasing a bargain.