Fifa’s World Cup ticket row with fans explained

A significant dispute over World Cup ticket pricing continues to escalate, with football’s governing body, Fifa, facing accusations of failing to provide sufficient affordable options for its most dedicated supporters.

The controversy centres on what fan groups describe as exorbitant costs, even after a recent concession by Fifa.

The row originated with Fifa’s decision to implement dynamic pricing during the initial sales phases for the 2026 finals, set to be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico .

Despite promising a ring-fenced allocation of fixed-price tickets for national associations to distribute to their loyal fan bases, the details, published last Thursday, sparked immediate outrage.

It emerged that the cheapest ticket for the final within these participant member association (PMA) allocations would cost 4,185 US dollars – approximately £3,140.

For England fans, following the team from the first match to the final could exceed £5,000 for the cheapest tickets alone, excluding travel and accommodation.

The reaction from fan organisations was swift and severe. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) urged Fifa to halt the PMA allocation sales process, branding the pricing a "monumental betrayal" of hardcore fans.

Similarly, the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) condemned the prices as "scandalous" and called upon the FA to intervene on behalf of supporters.

While the FA refrained from public comment, it confirmed it would raise supporters’ concerns through official channels. Fifa, however, initially dismissed the criticism, pointing to five million applications received within the first 24 hours of the random selection draw phase.

open image in gallery

Fifa’s ticket prices for next year’s World Cup have been criticised (Getty Images)

In a recent development this Tuesday, Fifa announced the availability of some tickets priced at 60 US dollars (£45) within the PMA allocations for all 104 matches, including the final.

Yet, this concession has been met with further scepticism. These cheaper tickets constitute only 10 per cent of a country’s PMA allocation per match, which itself represents just eight per cent of a stadium’s total capacity.

For instance, an England group stage match against Croatia would see only around 400 tickets available at the £45 price point.

This limited availability means that even among the most loyal supporters, such as the approximately 600 ‘top cappers’ in the England Supporters Travel Club, many would still be unable to access these affordable options.

Fan groups remain unimpressed by Fifa’s latest move. Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, urged Fifa to cease "playing PR games" and ensure all tickets for loyal supporters are priced reasonably, calling on national FAs to "apply pressure" to achieve this.

FSE has also written to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, expressing serious concerns regarding disabled fan ticketing, noting that tickets reserved for disabled supporters appear to be available at inflated prices on FIFA’s resale platform without adequate eligibility checks.

Fifa, in its defence, stated that introducing the new 60-dollar category was the "right thing to do".

The organisation reiterated that demand for tickets, despite the pricing controversy, remains "off the scale", with over 20 million applications now received.

An official close to the ticketing discussions also highlighted that the commercial success of the World Cup directly benefits Fifa’s 211 member associations, including the poorest among them.