World Cup ticket prices: Fifa’s prices a ‘monumental betrayal’ says Football Supporters Europe

Supporters hoping to attend next year’s World Cup final face paying vast prices, with tickets in the ‘supporter value tier’ starting at £3,119 ($4,185).

Fans’ group Football Supporters Europe has said it is “astonished” by Fifa’s “extortionate” pricing strategy.

The high prices for group games and the final have been leaking out on Thursday as Fifa informs national associations of their allocations.

It means the price of the cheapest ticket for Fifa’s showpiece event has increased almost sevenfold compared with the 2022 World Cup. The lowest-priced tickets on open sale in Qatar were £450.

BBC Sport understands tickets for the ‘supporters standard tier’ are £4,162 ($5,560), compared with £747 in 2022.

‘Supporters premium tier’ is £6,615 ($8,860), with the same band £1,197 at the Lusail Stadium three years ago.

FSE has demanded that ticket sales should be halted immediately, adding that tickets not being available in the cheapest category is “a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is”.

The third ticket ballot begins on Thursday afternoon. On Monday, members of national supporters’ clubs will get the chance to enter a random draw for individual games, or to follow their team through to the final.

In a departure from recent tournaments, group stage games are being priced based on their attractiveness, rather than at a flat rate.

In Qatar, group stage fixtures had set prices of £68.50, £164.50 and £219.

Yet for England’s opening match against Croatia on 17 June, tickets cost £198, £373 or £523.

Scotland’s first two group games are cheaper. Against Haiti the prices will be £134, £298 or £372, with Morocco set as £163, £320 and £447. The final group game is priced the same as England v Croatia.

There are no category four tickets available to fans, though this was also the case in 2022 when they were reserved exclusively for residents of Qatar.