Football Association to Relay Fan Concerns Over 2026 World Cup Ticket Prices
The Football Association (FA) will pass on England supporters' concerns about the high ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to FIFA, despite having no expectation that this will lead to a change in policy. Ticket prices for the tournament, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, have caused widespread discontent as they are about ten times higher than the prices promised during the bid. The cheapest group tickets for England supporters are set at $220 (£165), compared to the $21 (£15.70) originally promised.
The cost for the cheapest World Cup final ticket has risen to $4,185 (£3,120), which is over thirty times the initially planned price. The Football Supporters' Association has described the pricing strategy as scandalous, accusing FIFA of exploiting supporter loyalty. The England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) Facebook page has garnered 11,200 members, with many fans indicating they may attend fewer games or boycott the event altogether. Issues regarding pricing for wheelchair users have also been highlighted.
The FA was only informed of FIFA's ticket pricing plans on a Thursday before the announcement and will convey supporters' concerns to FIFA but has yet to make a public comment. Across the UK, Scotland's Supporters' Federation Scotland Association (SFSA) expressed similar concerns, with John MacLean urging national associations to hold FIFA accountable. Ticket prices in 2026 are reportedly up to five times higher than those charged for the Qatar World Cup.
In Germany, the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) stated it would have preferred more affordable tickets but acknowledged it cannot influence FIFA’s pricing policy. The DFB was only informed hours before ticket applications opened. Meanwhile, a UK government spokesperson declared there would be no governmental involvement in ticket pricing issues, stating that FIFA itself should address its ticketing policies.
