Sports
FIFA Slammed Over ‘Monumental Betrayal’
FIFA have been hit with heavy criticism as the prices for tickets at the 2026 World Cup have emerged. The biggest international tournament in football is already causing controversy for several reasons.
The United States of America, Mexico and Canada-hosted competition has been thrown into chaos several times by claims made by US President Donald Trump. Now, the governing body of international football is being scrutinised for the eye-watering cost of tickets at the showpiece event.
The strong reaction has seen FIFA accused of ‘monumental betrayal’ by fan representative groups. They have also been urged to halt the sale of tickets amid all the backlash and outrage.
FIFA Slammed For Controversial World Cup Ticket Prices
Per The Guardian, the cheapest ticket available for the final of the competition will be over £3000. Fans across Europe are represented by a group called Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which has labelled some of the prices ‘extortionate’.
Clarity emerged when the Croatian Football Federation published prices in their participant member association (PMA) allocation. This is designed to sell tickets to fans who attend most matches, meaning the prices are fixed. The cheapest ticket for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was published at $4,185 (£3,120).
FSE claimed just over £5000 is the cheapest any fan could expect to pay in order to follow their team throughout the tournament from the opening game to the final. That’s five times as much as it would’ve cost at Qatar 2022. This prompted a furious statement from FSE:
“Football Supporters Europe is astonished by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated supporters for next year’s FIFA World Cup. This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is.
“We call on FIFA to immediately halt PMA ticket sales, engage in a consultation with all impacted parties, and review ticket prices and category distribution until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”
England Supporters Outraged at Ticket Prices
England fans in particular have been left furious after the England Supporters Club ticket prices emerged. Depending on how far the Three Lions get in the competition, it could cost fans around £6000 to follow their country.
The cheapest member tickets are £195 for the opening game against Croatia, with the lowest prices against Ghana and Panama at £165. Should Thomas Tuchel’s men reach the knockout stages, the minimum they’ll be charged is £175 for the Round of 32, £220 for the Round of 16 and £508 for the quarter-finals.
If they get to the semi-finals, it would cost at least £687, before the aforementioned £3120 minimum for a final ticket. This sparked a huge reaction on social media, as Free Lions hit out in a damning statement, which read:
“These prices are a slap in the face to supporters who support their team outside of the flagship tournament that appears every four years.”
Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail voiced his opinion, calling it ‘an absolute disgrace’, while an X user claimed the prices are ‘absolutely disgraceful to the fans’.
The same account added: “How can you possibly justify a £5000 ticket price increase for a Cat 1 final ticket in the space of 4 years. Infantino, how embarrassing.”
