FIFA is facing a backlash over ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, with the cheapest for the final costing over £3,000.
Ticket prices were announced on Thursday with an increase of almost 500 percent compared to the World Cup in Qatar three years ago.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) called on the FA to challenge FIFA over the prices, which the FSA described as “scandalous” and a “ridiculous insult” to the average fan.
The tournament takes place in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer, and fans are already facing significant travel and accommodation costs.
How much are World Cup tickets?
The cheapest ticket for the final – should England reach that stage – costs between $4,185 (£3,120) and $8,680 (£6,471) for members of the England Supporters’ Travel Club.
The Scottish FA has confirmed prices for its Member Association (PMA) distribution, with the cheapest tickets for the opening game against Haiti in Boston costing from $180 (£134) to $500 (£373).
The cheapest tickets for Scotland’s second leg against Morocco, also in Boston, start at $220 (£164), while the final group game against Brazil in Miami will cost a minimum of $265 (£198).
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said based on the information available so far, fans had to pay just over £6,000 to attend all of their team’s games from the first leg to the final through the PMA allocation – five times more than they would have paid to do so at the last final in Qatar.
FIFA has also announced ticket prices for the latest general phase of the lottery sale, which is open to all fans until January.
Tickets for group matches cost between $140 (£104) and $2,735 (£2,046). In the knockout stages, they are $190 (£142) to $790 (£591) for the round of 16, $220 (£164) to $980 (£733) for the round of 16, $535 (£400) to $1,775 (£1,327) for the final from $1,327 to $7,327. $3,295 (£2,465) for the semi-finals and $4,185 (£3,130) to $8,680 (£6,493) for the final.
All tickets can also be bought and sold on the official resale platform – with FIFA taking a 30 percent commission.
Why are ticket prices so high?
The FSE stated that instead of adopting a standard price for all group matches, the prices appear to be calculated “depending on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the match”.
Dynamic pricing will be used in some stages of World Cup ticket sales. However, the governing body has confirmed that this will not apply during the main vote. The price you see at the beginning of the window will be the same at the end.
The official bid for the 2026 World Cup says the cheapest tickets throughout the tournament will range from $21 (£15) to $128 (£96).
Tickets for the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain in Berlin were available from £83.
What did FIFA say?
FIFA is refusing to comment after announcing World Cup ticket prices, although it said there were five million requests for tickets in 24 hours, “underscoring strong global demand”.
FIFA’s stance on ticket prices has always been that it is a non-profit organization and that the money it earns from ticket sales is reinvested in football.
What was the reaction?
The FSA said the prices proposed to members of the England Travelers Club (ESTC) were “scandalous” and “a step too far for many supporters who passionately and loyally follow their national sides at home and abroad”.
“Everything we feared about the direction FIFA wants to take the game has been confirmed – Gianni Infantino only sees fan loyalty as something to be exploited for profit,” the statement said.
“This is a tournament that should celebrate the world, where fans from all nations come together for the love of football. FIFA decided to make everything because of money and the elite who can afford it.”
“For FIFA, loyalty is not the value of a fan traveling thousands of miles to support his team at qualifiers across the continent. A game that should be for everyone is now only for those who can afford it.”
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described FIFA’s approach as a “monumental betrayal” of fans.
“European football fans are stunned by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated fans for next year’s World Cup,” the statement said.
“This is a monumental betrayal of World Cup tradition, ignoring the fans’ contribution to the spectacle that it is.”
“We call on FIFA to immediately halt the sale of PMA tickets, engage in consultation with all affected parties and review ticket prices and category distribution until a solution is found that respects the tradition, universality and cultural significance of the World Cup.”
English supporters’ group the Free Lions announced on X that it supported the FSE’s statement, adding that these were “shocking prices, over and above the already high costs we suspected”.
The Scottish Football Supporters’ Association (SFSA) has called on national associations to “hold FIFA to account” over ticket prices.
John McLean, chief executive of the SFSA, said Scottish FA chairman Mike Mulraney – recently appointed chairman of FIFA’s finance committee – was ideally placed “to express the widespread disappointment of Scottish fans and fans around the world at ticket prices that are, in some cases, five times higher than Qatar”.
The Association of Tartan Army Clubs (ATAC) branded the costs “disgraceful and disgusting” and said the fact that FIFA will charge a refund fee to fans who sign up for the knockout stages means it will “bleed every last cent out of disappointed fans”.
World Cup draw
Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Republic of Ireland/Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Wales/Northern Ireland/Italy/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, ScotlandHaiti
Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Poland/Ukraine/Sweden/Albania
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq or Bolivia/Suriname
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo or Jamaica/New Caledonia
Group L: EnglandCroatia, Panama, Ghana
Key dates of the World Cup
Group stage: June 11-27
Round of 16: June 28 to July 3
Round of 16: July 4-7
Quarterfinals: 9-11 July
Semi-Finals: July 14-15
Play-off for third place (‘Bronze Final’): July 18
Finals: July 19