FIFA accused of 'betrayal' over 2026 World Cup ticket prices
What's the story
FIFA is facing backlash from Football Supporters Europe, a prominent European soccer fans' group, over its ticket pricing strategy for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. The group has described FIFA's decision as a "monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup." They have called on FIFA to "immediately halt" ticket sales for Participating Member Associations (PMAs), which are responsible for selling tickets to their traveling supporters.
Pricing disparity
PMAs express concerns over ticket pricing
Each PMA is entitled to eight percent of the tickets for each match, which they can start selling from Thursday. However, the Croatian Football Association (CFF) has already published a ticket price list on its website. The prices for Croatia's World Cup opener against England start at $265 (£198), which is eight times higher than the equivalent price for the 2024 Men's European Championship in Germany.
Ticket tiers
Premium tickets and seating categories explained
The seats for the Croatia-England match that are directly behind the goals have been labeled as "premium," or Category One, and are priced at $700 (£523). Standard tickets (Category Two) behind the goal but in AT&T Stadium's second tier cost $500 (£373). Value tickets, which are cheaper, are located in the corner of this tier. Half of each PMA's allocation will be in this "value tier," while the other half will be divided evenly between Categories One and Two.
Fan backlash
FSE criticizes FIFA's ticket pricing strategy
In a statement released on Thursday, the FSE slammed FIFA's ticket prices as "extortionate" and at "astronomical levels." The group stressed that not all supporters may have access to the lowest price category due to these being reserved for general sales, which are dynamically priced. They called on FIFA to immediately halt PMA ticket sales, consult with all affected parties, and reconsider ticket prices and category distribution until a solution respecting the tradition of World Cup is found.
Additional criticism
FSA joins FSE in condemning FIFA's ticket prices
The England and Wales fan group Football Supporters's Association (FSA) also condemned the high ticket prices on their social media. They said that "matchgoers across the world deserve protection from these rip-off prices." Other PMAs, including those from England and Scotland, are still waiting to know their full allocations, prices, and seat maps for the World Cup.
Twitter Post
A look at the World Cup groups
The stage is set. Who triumphs? 🏆@aramco | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/21qBVC6KlE
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 5, 2025