ZURICH — More than five million ticket requests have been submitted for the 2026 World Cup since the latest sales phase launched on Thursday, FIFA reported. This surge comes amid growing backlash from fans who describe the pricing as exorbitant.
Supporters from over 200 countries have applied for tickets, with the group-stage match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27 emerging as the top draw thus far. Notably, ticket requests have spiked significantly, reflecting the global interest in what is set to be the first World Cup featuring 48 teams.
However, the excitement is tempered by widespread discontent over the tournament’s pricing structure across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has condemned the ticket prices as “scandalous,” revealing that group-stage tickets are priced up to three times higher than those for the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar. The cheapest ticket for the final is set at a staggering £3,119.
The Football Association is expected to address these concerns with FIFA, as it has been urged to advocate for lower ticket prices. The FSA, collaborating with Football Supporters Europe (FSE), is calling for a freeze on ticket sales until discussions regarding FIFA’s pricing policy can occur.
“We fully support Football Supporters Europe in calling for a halt in ticket sales and we urge the Football Association to join fellow national associations in confronting these outrageous prices,” the FSA declared in a statement.
In contrast to the 2022 World Cup, where group-stage tickets were priced at £68.50, £164.50, and £219, tickets for next year’s matches, including England v Croatia and Scotland v Brazil, will range between approximately £198, £373, and £523. The prices for knockout stages will escalate even further, with quarter-final tickets ranging from £507 to £1,073, semi-finals from £686 to £2,363, and final tickets starting at £3,119. Notably, there are no discounted rates for children or other groups.
The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. FIFA noted that the highest number of ticket requests has originated from the three host nations, followed closely by Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France, and Panama.
Fans’ groups have raised alarms that such pricing strategies may alienate loyal supporters. The FSA criticized the cheapest “supporter value” ticket offerings as a “laughable insult,” asserting that many fans would find it impossible to manage travel and attendance costs.
According to FSE, this marks the first instance in World Cup history where variable pricing will be applied across group-stage matches, determined by the perceived appeal of the fixtures.
For fans following a single team across all eight matches using the cheapest tickets, costs would amount to around £5,225. For mid-range seats, this figure would rise to approximately £8,850, while top-tier ticket holders could expect to pay £12,357, sharply contrasting with more affordable options observed at the 2022 World Cup.
— Agencies