The Football Association (FA) will contact FIFA to convey fans’ concerns. Earlier reports indicated that the minimum ticket price for England fans at next year’s World Cup is more than ten times higher than the price originally promised in the bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA announced that the minimum price for group stage tickets purchased by members of England’s official fan club is $220 (£165) — while the minimum price specified in the bid documents should be $21 (approximately £15.70).
More shockingly, bid documents on FIFA’s website show the minimum price for the final was £95, but the minimum price for England fans to buy final tickets is as high as £3,129, over 30 times the bid document figure.
Some insiders believe that the 8% ticket quota for certain England matches may not even be fully subscribed.
The exorbitant prices have prompted the German Football Association (DFB) to state that they “would prefer more affordable ticket prices” but are powerless to intervene. The FA (which is not responsible for setting ticket prices) has not yet commented on the matter, but it is understood that it will communicate with FIFA to relay concerns raised by football supporters’ associations.
FIFA’s Council, the organization’s highest governing body, was not consulted or informed about the ticket pricing strategy announced on Thursday.
FIFA now estimates it will generate $3.3 billion in revenue, nearly double the previous estimate. Fan leaders say this proves the organization prioritizes its own profits over making the tournament affordable for fans.
The bid documents stated that the cheapest Category 4 tickets would account for 7% of the total, lower than in previous tournaments, “considering the special needs of our ticketing market.” FIFA promised some Category 4 tickets would be priced as low as $60, but it is believed the proportion of tickets at this price is extremely low — far below 7% of the total.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called the ticket prices a “huge betrayal,” and the news has sparked criticism in many participating countries.
Andreas Rettig, Managing Director of the German Football Association (DFB)
“From Germany’s perspective, the World Cup is quite far away, and traveling from Germany to the Americas to watch the games itself requires considerable effort and high travel costs. This is another reason why we hope fans can buy more affordable tickets. Ticket prices are entirely determined by FIFA, and the DFB has no say in the matter. We were only informed of the prices a few hours before the application period began.”
FIFA declined to comment but previously admitted that due to the adoption of a dynamic pricing system, ticket prices fluctuate based on demand, so it cannot provide the specific proportion of Category 1, 2, 3, and 4 tickets.
FIFA’s system also features its own resale platform where tickets can be legally sold, with FIFA charging a 30% commission on each transaction.
