FIFA Introduces $60 World Cup Tickets After Fan Backlash
World football’s governing body, FIFA, has announced the introduction of a new low-cost ticket category for the 2026 World Cup following widespread criticism over ticket pricing for the tournament to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, FIFA announced the creation of a limited “Supporter Entry Tier” ticket priced at $60 for all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final. The move comes after fan groups complained that ticket prices for the expanded 48-team World Cup were excessively high.
According to FIFA, the initiative is aimed at supporting fans travelling to follow their national teams throughout the competition. The $60 tickets, equivalent to about 51 euros, will be reserved exclusively for supporters of qualified teams and will account for 10 per cent of each national federation’s ticket allocation.
However, the announcement has drawn mixed reactions from supporters’ organisations. Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which last week described FIFA’s original ticket prices as “extortionate” and “astronomical,” said the new measure did 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. The group noted that ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup were nearly five times higher than those at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, calling the pricing strategy a “monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup.”
FSE added that following a team from the group stage to the final could cost a supporter at least $6,900, despite FIFA’s 2018 bid document promising ticket prices starting from $21. On Tuesday, the organisation described FIFA’s latest move as an “appeasement tactic” prompted by global backlash, arguing that pricing decisions were rushed and made without adequate consultation with member associations.
The supporters’ group also criticised the lack of specific provisions for fans with disabilities and their companions, and warned that the limited allocation of $60 tickets would benefit only a few hundred fans per match.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also weighed in on the issue, welcoming the introduction of cheaper tickets but urging FIFA to do more to ensure affordability. In a post on X, Starmer said the World Cup risked losing touch with genuine supporters if prices remained beyond the reach of ordinary fans.
FIFA, for its part, said national federations would be required to ensure that the discounted tickets are allocated to loyal supporters closely connected to their teams. The organisation also announced that fans who purchase tickets for knockout matches but whose teams are eliminated earlier would have administrative fees waived on refunds.
The world football body said the announcement was made amid “extraordinary global demand,” revealing that more than 20 million ticket requests have already been submitted. The first round of ticket sales, covering all price categories, is scheduled for January 13, 2026.
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, featuring 48 teams and matches spread across three host countries.
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