FIFA World Cup ticket drama – complaint filed

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and Euroconsumers have filed an official complaint against FIFA, accusing it of setting overly high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup.

FSE, together with Euroconsumers, claimed that FIFA has "abused its monopoly position" when determining ticket prices for the tournament, which gets underway on 11 June.

FIFA responded to widespread criticism of its pricing model by releasing a limited batch of £45 tickets for each of the 104 matches in December.

However, FSE argued the decision had little effect, claiming the discounted tickets were mostly gone by the time general sale began.

According to the fan group, the lowest-priced final tickets currently available to the public are more than seven times higher than the cheapest tickets for the 2022 World Cup final.

The projected cost for one person to attend eight World Cup matches is £5,225 at the lowest tier, rising to £8,580 for mid-range tickets and £12,350 for premium seats.

This represents a huge jump from the previous tournament, where attending seven games would have cost £1,466, £2,645, or £3,914 respectively.

FSE is now calling on FIFA to scrap dynamic pricing and keep prices fixed for the April ticket release.

They are also calling for improved transparency for fans when purchasing tickets, including a minimum of 48 hours’ notice on availability in each category and clarity on seat locations.

FSE also accused FIFA of using bait advertising, claiming the limited number of cheaper tickets were snapped up before general sales even began.

It said in a statement: "Fifa holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market."

In response, a Fifa spokesperson said: "Fifa is focused on ensuring fair access to our game for existing and prospective fans. As a not-for-profit organisation, the revenue Fifa generates from the World Cup is reinvested to fuel the growth of the game - men, women, youth - throughout Fifa's 211 member associations globally."

There has been growing frustration among supporters, many of whom have voiced their anger at the soaring cost of attending the 2026 World Cup.

The Football Supporters' Association called ticket prices a "laughable insult" to fans.

For fans from some smaller nations, the price of group-stage tickets alone could exceed a full month’s salary in their country, without even taking into account travel and accommodation costs.

One Ghana supporter told the BBC of their “anger and disappointment,” saying fans of the Black Stars may now have no choice but to scrap their travel plans.

"It's a bit of a disappointment for those who, for the last three-and-a-half years, have been trying to put some money away in the hope that they can have their first World Cup experience," they said.

"Fifa themselves have gone ahead to increase the number of teams so a lot more smaller football nations will get a chance to have themselves and their fans represented.

"It's been overshadowed by pricing those same fans out of a chance to watch their country play at the World Cup.

"I have a feeling that quite a number of people within the next couple of months, are going to drop out of that desire to be at the next World Cup. Sadly. So sadly."

This feeling is mutual for English fans, one supporter told BBC they plan on boycotting all of his nations games at the tournament.

"This will be my fifth World Cup. I haven't missed a game since 2014, I'm in contact with England fans all over the country, we all plan to boycott games after the group stage.

"Football is dead."