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The Football Association will pass on England supporters’ concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football’s governing body to change its policy.
Anger among supporter groups continued on Friday after it emerged that the cheapest tickets will cost 10 times the price promised in the original bid for the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the tournament. For England fans it will mean having to pay at least $220 (£165) for group games – when the bid document’s ticket model stated the cheapest seats should be $21 (£15.70).
The cheapest tickets for the World Cup final will cost $4,185 (£3,120), more than 30 times higher than originally planned. And that is before travel costs and accommodation are factored in.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) described the prices being proposed to the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) as “scandalous” and said they were “a step too far for many supporters who passionately and loyally follow their national sides at home and abroad”. “Everything we feared about the direction in which Fifa wants to take the game was confirmed – Gianni Infantino only sees supporter loyalty as something to be exploited for profit,” the FSA added.
England fans also expressed their outrage on the private Facebook page of the ESTC, which has 11,200 members, with many saying they would go to fewer games in the tournament or consider boycotting it all together. Another member voiced his frustration that wheelchair users would have to pay the same price as able-bodied match-goers, and their companions would have to pay, too.
The FA is yet to comment publicly on Fifa’s ramped-up prices for the tournament. However, like other football associations, it is understood that it only found out on Thursday about Fifa’s plans. The organisation is also aware of the strong feelings of England fans and the FSA, and it is understood that it will pass those concerns to Fifa.
Scotland fans also face paying prices almost as high as England, having qualified for their first finals since 1998. John MacLean, of the Scottish Football Supporters Association (SFSA), called on national associations to “hold Fifa to account” over the ticket prices. MacLean also expressed what he called “the widespread disappointment of Scottish fans and indeed fans all around the world at ticket prices that are, in some cases, five times the cost in Qatar”.
Meanwhile, the German football association (DFB) has admitted that it would have “preferred more affordable tickets” but had no control over them. Andreas Rettig, the managing director of the DFB, said: “From Germany’s perspective, the World Cup is a long way away, and a visit already involves considerable effort and high travel costs.
“That’s another reason why we would have preferred more affordable tickets for our fans. Fifa alone sets the ticket prices; the DFB has no influence over that. We were only informed of the prices a few hours before the application period opened.”
Keir Starmer’s spokesperson has confirmed that the government would not be getting involved in the dispute: “That’s clearly a matter for Fifa to speak to. The prime minister would always hope that any major sporting event was accessible to as many people as possible, but it’s for Fifa to speak to their ticketing policies, not for me.”
Fifa has been approached for comment.
