FIFA is facing intense backlash after unveiling World Cup ticket prices that have surged to levels fans describe as unprecedented – in some cases up to seven times higher than the 2022 tournament in Qatar, according to the BBC.
Supporters’ groups across Europe sharply criticised the new pricing structure, calling it a betrayal of ordinary fans. Football Supporters Europe said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s “extortionate” approach and urged the body to halt ticket sales immediately. England’s Fans’ Embassy described the decision as a “slap in the face.”
For the final at New York’s MetLife Stadium, FIFA’s published prices are:
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Supporter Value Tier: $4,185
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Supporter Standard Tier: $5,560
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Supporter Premium Tier: $8,860
Tickets to Fifa’s showpiece event are as much as seven times more expensive than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the lowest price ticket at that event costing $570.
There are no discounts for children, seniors or any vulnerable groups.
FIFA has also scrapped the flat-rate pricing used at recent tournaments. Instead, ticket prices for group-stage matches now vary based on a vague “popularity” metric, meaning fans of some countries — notably England — will pay significantly more.
Examples include:
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England vs Croatia: roughly $264, $498, $699
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Scotland vs Haiti: roughly $178, $395, $493
Quarter-final tickets now range from about $677 to $1,435, while semi-finals cost between $916 and $3,160.
A full eight-match ticket series for one person will cost between $6,995 and $16,570, far above the $1,895 to $5,060 fans paid in 2022 for seven games.
The pricing details emerged as FIFA opened its main ticket ballot on Thursday. National supporters’ clubs will enter their own random draw on Monday, with about 4,000 tickets per match available through official fan groups. FIFA says dynamic pricing is not being applied within the ballots.
The organisation has not commented on the criticism or explained how it determines a team’s “popularity” under the new pricing model.
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