World Cup 2026 ticket shocker: FIFA faces fan backlash over sky-rocketing prices

FIFA is facing sharp criticism from major fan groups after details of the 2026 World Cup ticket prices triggered outrage across Europe. According to information published by the Croatian football federation, the cheapest tickets for the World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will cost $4,185 (£3,120). This is more than five times what fans reportedly paid to attend the final stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Football Supporters Europe (FSE), a group that represents fans across the continent, called the pricing structure ‘extortionate’ and described it as a ‘monumental betrayal’ of loyal supporters. FSE said in a statement on their website,“Football Supporters Europe is astonished by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated supporters for next year’s Fifa World Cup. This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is.”

The federation’s published figures suggest that a fan aiming to follow their national team from the group stage to the final would need to pay at least $6,900 (£5,137.74) for match tickets alone. Travel and accommodation across the three host countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, could push the overall cost far higher.

England fans also reacted strongly after receiving official price details from the Football Association. The cheapest tickets for England’s first group match against Croatia in Dallas will cost $265 (£195). The other group-stage matches against Ghana in Boston and Panama in New Jersey will have a minimum price of $220 (£165). A last-32 ticket starts at £175, rising to £220 for the last-16, £508 for the quarter-final, and £687 for a semi-final seat.

In comparison, the ‘fans first’ category tickets for Euro 2024 allowed supporters to follow England from the opening match to the final for €375 (£328). FSE is urging FIFA to halt the Participant Member Association (PMA) ticket sales and begin consultations. Its statement reads: “We call on Fifa to immediately halt PMA ticket sales, engage in a consultation with all impacted parties, and review ticket prices and category distribution until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”