FIFA has introduced a small number of “more affordable” $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches at the 2026 World Cup following criticism of its pricing structure for the tournament.
World football’s governing body says the new ticket price will be available to a certain number of “loyal fans” of the countries that have qualified for the World Cup.
A FIFA official close to discussions said: “We have listened to feedback and this new category is the right thing to do” – adding the decision was unanimous.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the announcement but added: “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.”
Under the previous pricing structure, which the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) call “scandalous”, it would have cost a fan more than £5,000 to follow England at every match to the final.
The £45 ticket falls in the ‘supporter entry tier’, the lowest priced category, and will make up 10% of the allocation for each football association whose team is taking part in a competition being hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
For England and Scotland, this will mean about 400 tickets will be available for £45 for their group matches.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, called Tuesday’s announcement a “hollow gesture” adding: “What sounds like a climbdown is a cynical attempt to deflect attention while continuing to rip fans off.”
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said that while it welcomed “FIFA’s seeming recognition of the damage its original plans were to cause, the revisions do not go far enough to reconcile”.
Meetings took place over the weekend and early this week with senior officials in Doha, Qatar, where initial feedback on pricing was discussed.
Having raised fans’ concerns over the cost of tickets with FIFA’s hierarchy before the meeting in Doha, English Football Association insiders privately see the announcement as a step in the right direction.
“The entry tier tickets will be allocated specifically to supporters of qualified teams, with the selection and distribution process managed individually by the participating member associations (PMAs),” said a FIFA statement.
“Each PMA will define its own eligibility criteria and application process. They are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams.
“In total, 50% of each PMA allocation will fall within the most affordable range, namely supporter value tier (40%) and the supporter entry tier (10%). The remaining allocation is split evenly between the supporter standard tier and the supporter premier tier.”
