FIFA has come under fire over its ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup.
Following last week’s World Cup draw — which placed England in Group L alongside Croatia, Panama and Ghana — fans are stepping up their travel plans to North America, where the biggest international tournament ever is being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
However, thousands of supporters who regularly follow their country’s national team face being priced out after FIFA implemented huge price hikes, with some seats for the final costing more than £5,000 more than they did for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
England fans fume at “scandalous” World Cup ticket prices
On Friday, the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) released the ticket prices provided by FIFA — and the backlash was immediate.
Supporters were shocked to discover that a “Supporter Value” (Category 3) ticket for the 2026 World Cup final will cost £3,119, up from £450 in 2022. The top-tier “Premium” option has jumped from £1,197 to a staggering £6,615.
Meanwhile, group-stage tickets for England games range from £173 to £552 — far higher than Euro 2024 prices, where some fans paid significantly less to watch the final in Berlin.
World Cup ticket prices for England fans (ESTC allocation)
| Match | Supporter Premier (Cat 1) | Supporter Standard (Cat 2) | Supporter Value (Cat 3) |
| England v Croatia (Dallas) | £552 | £394 | £209 |
| England v Ghana (Boston) | £473 | £339 | £173 |
| England v Panama (New Jersey) | £489 | £366 | £173 |
| Bronze Final (Miami) | £887 | £682 | £359 |
| Final (New Jersey) | £6,850 | £4,395 | £3,305 |
One England fan fumed: “Travel all over the world with England to get caps to see them in these big tournaments… you get rewarded with a £3,200 ticket for the final. Absolutely scandalous by FIFA. How is that even allowed? Hope every ground is empty!”
Another angry fan tweeted: “The actual cheek of them to call it ‘supporter value’ whilst charging over £200 for a group game ticket in the Gods. We paid €95 for a Euro 2024 Final ticket btw, this whole World Cup is one big scam.”
How do 2026 World Cup tickets compare to 2022 World Cup?
The contrast with Qatar 2022 is stark. For the 2026 final, the cheapest official seat available via national associations has increased from £450 to £3,119 — a near sevenfold jump.
Even the mid-range “Standard” ticket has risen from £747 to £4,162, while the “Premium” tier has exploded from £1,197 to £6,615.
| Pricing Tier | 2022 Final | 2026 Final | Increase |
| Value | £450 | £3,119 | +£2,669 |
| Standard | £747 | £4,162 | +£3,415 |
| Premium | £1,197 | £6,615 | +£5,418 |
As eye-watering as these prices are, skipping the chance to buy early could be even more expensive. FIFA’s own resale platform has already listed the cheapest final tickets at upwards of £6,500 — more than double the lowest price available through the FA and ESTC.
Fan groups condemn FIFA: “A monumental betrayal”
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) issued a furious statement, accusing FIFA of breaking multiple promises and describing the pricing strategy as “extortionate”. The organisation said the hike represented “a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is” and called for ticket sales to be halted immediately.
FSE also highlighted that many travelling fans are locked out of the very cheapest Category 4 tickets, which have been reserved for general sales and are subject to dynamic pricing.
On top of that, supporters are expected to pay for potential knockout matches months in advance, and prices for group-stage games vary depending on how “attractive” FIFA deems each fixture — meaning fans of different nations can end up paying different amounts for the same stage of the competition.
AFCON 2025 tickets still available
For fans who had their hearts set on going to an international tournament in 2026 but have been priced out of the World Cup, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations could be the solution — especially for those, like this writer, who believe AFCON may be better than the Euros.
Tickets for AFCON 2025, which is taking place across Morocco between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026, are still available and priced much more with supporters in mind. General sale tickets for group games start from 100 Moroccan Dirhams, which converts to just £8.12.
