Following intense criticism over high prices, FIFA has announced a new cheaper ticket category for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Football’s world governing body unveiled a limited number of “Supporter Entry Tier” tickets on Tuesday, fixed at $60 (51 euros) for all 104 matches, including the final. FIFA stated the move is “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”
These tickets will make up 10 percent of each qualified national federation’s allotment and are reserved for their fans.
The announcement comes after major backlash from supporter groups. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) labelled initial prices “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal,” noting costs were nearly five times higher than the 2022 tournament in Qatar. They estimated a fan following their team to the final would face a minimum cost of $6,900.
In response to FIFA’s new category, FSE called it an “appeasement tactic” that does not go far enough.
“While we welcome FIFA’s seeming recognition of the damage its original plans were to cause, the revisions do not go far enough,” FSE said in a statement. They argued that only “a few hundred fans per match and team” would benefit, while the majority still face “extortionate prices, way higher than at any tournament before.”
The group also criticised the policy’s development, saying it “shows that FIFA’s ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also weighed in on social media platform X. “I welcome FIFA’s announcement of some lower priced supporters tickets,” he wrote. “But as someone who used to save up for England tickets, I encourage FIFA to do more to make tickets more affordable so that the World Cup doesn’t lose touch with the genuine supporters who make the game so special.”
FIFA stated that federations “are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans.” They also announced a waiver on administrative fees for refunds if a fan’s team is eliminated before a knockout match they purchased a ticket for.
The organisation said the move comes “amid extraordinary global demand,” with over 20 million ticket requests already submitted. The draw for the first sales phase will be held on Tuesday, January 13.
