FIFA has unveiled ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, triggering sharp criticism from supporters.
According to Idman.biz, citing the BBC, tickets in the so-called “budget category” start at £3,119, equivalent to $4,185.
The information was presented to national associations a day earlier as part of the seat allocation process for group-stage matches and the final. It is noted that the price of the cheapest ticket has increased by around seven times compared to the 2022 World Cup. In Qatar, the lowest-priced tickets available for public sale cost £450, or about $600.
BBC reports that tickets for the England vs Croatia match scheduled for June 17 start at £198. Quarter-final tickets are priced from £507, while semi-final tickets begin at £686.
The fan group “European Football Fans” said it was shocked by FIFA’s pricing policy, calling it extortionate. Supporters demanded an immediate halt to ticket sales, stressing that the lack of genuinely affordable tickets represents a betrayal of World Cup traditions and a disregard for the contribution of fans.
They also recalled that FIFA’s 2018 bidding documents promised ticket prices starting from $21, with the full journey to the final in the cheapest category expected to cost $2,242. According to the fans, those promises have long since lost touch with reality.
