FIFA slashes World Cup 2026 ticket prices after fan backlash

Updated: 18 Dec, 2025 • 0 • min read

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FIFA slashes World Cup 2026 ticket prices after fan backlash

Photo: FIFA/Getty Images

FIFA has dramatically cut the price of some World Cup 2026 tickets following a global backlash from supporters, with a limited number of fans now able to secure $60 tickets for every match, including the final.

The surprise move marks a rare climbdown by world football's governing body and its president Gianni Infantino, after intense criticism over soaring ticket prices, dynamic pricing models and the treatment of the game's most loyal supporters.

Under a newly introduced "Supporter Entry Tier," FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that $60 tickets will be made available for all 104 matches at next summer's tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Who Can Get the $60 Tickets?

The reduced-price tickets will be distributed exclusively through national football associations to supporters of qualified teams.

Each Participating Member Association (PMA), including the English and Scottish FAs, will decide how the tickets are allocated, with priority expected to go to fans who regularly travel home and away.

However, availability will be limited.

FIFA confirmed that only 10% of each national association's ticket allocation will fall into the Supporter Entry Tier, equating to roughly 400-750 tickets per team per match, depending on stadium size.

In total, 50% of each PMA allocation will sit within FIFA's two cheapest categories:

Supporter Value Tier - 40%
Supporter Entry Tier - 10%

The remaining tickets are split evenly between Supporter Standard and Supporter Premier tiers.

FIFA Responds to Mounting Criticism

FIFA said the decision was taken after unprecedented demand, with more than 20 million ticket requests already submitted during the current sales phase.

The organisation added that fans whose teams are eliminated before the knockout rounds will also have administrative fees waived when refunds are processed - another quiet reversal following criticism.

Fan Groups: "Too Little, Too Late"

Despite welcoming the change, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said the move was an "appeasement tactic" driven by negative publicity.

This shows that FIFA's ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation.

Last week, FSE revealed that fans following their team from the group stage to the final could have been forced to pay up to $6,900 - nearly five times more than Qatar 2022.

The anger stemmed from revelations that loyal supporters initially had no access to the cheapest ticket category, despite FIFA's 2018 World Cup bid promising hundreds of thousands of $21 tickets.

Prices That Sparked the Backlash

Before the reversal, prices for supporters via national associations included:

Group stage: $140-$265
Semi-finals: from $920
Final: $4,185 to $8,680

The England Fans' Embassy described the pricing as a "slap in the face," whilst supporters across Europe accused FIFA of abandoning the World Cup's traditional accessibility.

Dynamic Pricing and Accessibility Concerns

Criticism has also centred on FIFA's adoption of dynamic pricing and added fees on its resale platform - practices common in U.S. entertainment but unfamiliar to football supporters.

FSE has also urged FIFA to rethink policies affecting disabled fans, warning that accessible seats were appearing on resale platforms at inflated prices, with no guarantee they would go to those who need them.

Free companion tickets, available at Qatar 2022, have also been scrapped.

What Fans Can Do Now

Whilst demand still vastly outweighs supply, fans seeking tickets beyond official allocations may turn to authorised secondary marketplaces.

Platforms such as StubHub can offer access to sold-out matches, though often at premium prices.

The 2026 World Cup, featuring a record 48 teams, kicks off on 11 June in Mexico, with the final scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

For FIFA, the partial rollback may ease tensions but for many supporters, it has only reinforced fears that football's biggest tournament is becoming increasingly out of reach.

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