Fans' representatives have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after it was revealed that the cheapest tickets for next summer's matches World Cup The final will cost over £3,000.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which represents fans across the continent, has branded the prices “extortionate” and called for an immediate halt to ticket sales after England fans discovered that tickets to accompany their team to the tournament could cost more than £6,000.
The clarity comes as the Croatian Football Federation published prices in its member associations' allocation (PMA), which is aimed at fans who attend most matches and means tickets are sold at fixed prices rather than allocated through a controversial dynamic pricing system. The Croatian Federation has listed the cheapest tickets for the final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on July 19 at $4,185 (£3,120).
The prices prompted a furious response from the FSE, which said the minimum amount die-hard fans could expect to pay to watch their team from the first match to the final would be $6,900 (£5,137.74) – five times what it would cost during the Qatar 2022 World Cup. This figure can more than double when you factor in expenses such as airfare and accommodations when attending a tournament held in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
FSE said: “European football fans surprised by extortionate ticket prices FIFA about the most loyal fans of next year's World Cup. This is a blatant betrayal of the traditions of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of the fans to this spectacle.
“We call on FIFA to immediately stop selling PMA tickets, consult with all affected parties and review ticket prices and category allocations until a solution is found that respects the tradition, universality and cultural significance of the World Cup.”
Members of the England Supporters' Travel Club (ESTC) were also surprised to hear about the prices from the Football Association on Thursday. The cheapest ticket for England's first match against Croatia in Dallas will cost $265 (£195) and will cost a minimum of $220 (£165) when Thomas Tuchel's side face Ghana in Boston and Panama in New Jersey in their other Group L games.
ESTC members found that a semi-final ticket would cost them at least £687, compared to £508 for the quarter-finals and £220 and £175 respectively for the Round of 16 and Round of 32 matches. These prices will make die-hard fans decide whether or not to attend the tournament.
By comparison, according to information published by UEFA in autumn 2023, following England from the first match of Euro 2024 to the final with fans first tickets would cost €375 (£328). Even tickets in the next category would cost a total of €860 (£753). Fans also discovered earlier this week that tourists to the US are being forced to disclose their social media activity over the past five years under new plans from President Donald Trump's administration.
FSE's outrage was shared by England fans group Free Lions, who said on X: “This cannot be allowed to happen. Match-goers around the world deserve protection from these extortionate prices.”
Thursday saw the opening of the random ticket lottery, opened by FIFA for the first time since the tournament was drawn last week. All fans, not just those who can purchase tickets through PMA, will be able to go online between now and January 13 and try to order as many tickets as they want at fixed prices. Tickets sold in earlier periods were priced dynamically, meaning they would rise or fall based on demand.
PMA quotas will be equal to 8% of stadium capacity for each match. FSE said that rather than adopting a standard price for all group matches, prices appeared to be calculated “based on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the match”.
FIFA has been contacted for comment.
