FIFA has reduced the cost of certain World Cup tickets for loyal fans of teams following global criticism, with some fans now able to purchase final tickets for $60 instead of the initial price of $4,185. This decision marks a rare reversal by FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino, who faced backlash for their World Cup strategies, including high ticket prices and closer ties to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The $60 tickets will be available for every game at the North America tournament, allocated to national federations of participating teams. These federations will determine how to distribute the tickets to loyal fans who have supported their teams in previous matches. Each team is expected to receive between 400 to 750 tickets in this new “Supporter Entry Tier” price category, with matches taking place in 16 host cities across the region.
While FIFA did not provide specific reasons for the price adjustment, they stated that the lower prices aim to support fans traveling to follow their national teams during the tournament. However, the Football Supporters Europe group criticized the limited price reduction as an attempt to appease the negative global reaction, highlighting the lack of proper consultation in the ticketing policy decision.
The upcoming World Cup in North America will feature 48 teams, up from the previous 32, and is projected to generate over $10 billion in revenue for FIFA. Despite concerns over ticket prices, FIFA reported receiving more than 20 million ticket requests in the latest sales phase. The FSE group noted that despite the recent changes, a significant number of fans would still face high prices compared to previous tournaments.
Last week, fans expressed outrage over FIFA’s initial ticketing plans, which did not allocate any tickets in the lowest-priced category to participating teams. The cheapest tickets ranged from $140 to $265 for group-stage matches, with higher prices for games involving popular teams like Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, and England. FIFA’s hospitality program in NFL venues is expected to bring in billions of dollars, managed in-house for increased profitability.
Criticism from fans, particularly in Europe, has been mounting over FIFA’s implementation of “dynamic pricing” and additional fees on a resale platform. The lack of access to the cheapest tickets for loyal supporters and delayed refunds post-tournament further fueled discontent among fans. In response to backlash, FIFA announced the waiver of administrative fees for refunds after the World Cup final.
Additionally, concerns were raised by the FSE regarding FIFA’s ticket policy for fans with disabilities, highlighting issues with the resale platform offering disability access seats at inflated prices. The group emphasized the need for FIFA to uphold its commitments to inclusivity and respect fans with disabilities.