FIFA adds £45 ticket after pricing backlash to 2026 World Cup

The controversy erupted earlier this month when details of the ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup were released to national federations. Fans discovered that following their team from the first match to the final would cost upwards of £5,000 for even the cheapest seats, not including travel and accommodation. This was a massive jump compared to previous tournaments like the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where group stage tickets had a flat rate of around £68.50. Supporter groups were quick to condemn the pricing strategy. 

The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) branded the prices a "scandalous" and "laughable insult" to the average fan, while Football Supporters Europe (FSE) - a group that represents European football supporters’ interests - expressed astonishment at the "extortionate" costs. John MacLean, CEO of the Scottish Football Supporters Association (SFSA), highlighted the drastic increase, noting that prices were, in some cases, "five times the cost in Qatar" and urged FIFA to rethink.

The widespread backlash and calls for national FAs to refuse to sell ticket allocations prompted a rapid response from FIFA. Following hastily-adjourned meetings, the world body introduced a new "Supporter Entry Tier" for all 104 matches, with tickets priced at a fixed $60 (£45). The decision was viewed by many as a "humiliating climbdown" after the initial model faced unprecedented criticism. 

However, the concession was met with a degree of scepticism, as only 10 per cent of the participant member association (PMAs) allocation for each match will be available at this lower price. Despite this, the introduction of a more affordable option, including for the final, was a direct result of the immense pressure and public embarrassment FIFA faced for prioritising profit over the dedicated, ordinary fans who form the bedrock of the tournament's atmosphere.

A FIFA statement read: "The entry tier tickets will be allocated specifically to supporters of qualified teams, with the selection and distribution process managed individually by the participating member associations. Each PMA will define its own eligibility criteria and application process. They are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams."

But Tom Greatrex from the Football Supporters Association hit back, saying: "A small proportion of an already small allocation being priced reasonably still leaves the vast majority of supporters who would travel to the World Cup unable to afford to do so. Around 450 tickets, from an allocation of approximately 4,500, for England group games is literally making a lottery of supporting your team at the finals.

"Having all but killed off the vibrancy, atmosphere and spectacle of the World Cup for travelling supporters, this hollow gesture might buy a few headlines, but it doesn't address Fifa being complicit in pricing supporters out of the World Cup." 

The fallout from the initial ticket launch and subsequent reduction continues and some believe the change in stance on pricing reveals a willingness from FIFA to broaden the ticket pricing scheme to make the tournament accessible for even more fans. 

Ronan Evain, the executive director of FSE said the announcement was "nothing more than an appeasement tactic due to the global negative backlash".  Evain added: "This shows that FIFA's ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation - including with FIFA's own member associations."