Fifa has announced a new, cheaper ticket for the 2026 World Cup. A limited number of tickets will cost $60 (£45) for all 104 matches. This decision comes after criticism that ticket prices were too high.
Fifa said these lower-priced tickets will be offered to a small number of “loyal fans” from countries that have qualified for the World Cup.
A Fifa official said the organisation listened to feedback and agreed that adding this ticket option was the right decision.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the move but said Fifa should do more. He said ticket prices should be affordable so real fans can continue to attend matches.
Previously, the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) said prices were “scandalous”. Under the old system, a fan could have paid more than £5,000 to watch England play every match up to the final.
The £45 ticket is part of the lowest price category, called the “supporter entry tier”. It will make up 10% of the tickets given to each country taking part in the tournament, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
For England and Scotland, around 400 tickets per team will be available at this price for group matches.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, criticised the decision. He said the announcement was only a small gesture and accused Fifa of continuing to overcharge fans.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said it welcomed Fifa’s acknowledgement of the problem but felt the changes did not go far enough.
Fifa officials discussed ticket prices during meetings held in Doha, Qatar, over the weekend and earlier this week.
The English Football Association believes the decision is a positive step, although concerns remain.
Fifa said each country’s football association will manage how these tickets are given out. Each association will set its own rules to make sure tickets go to loyal supporters.
Overall, 50% of tickets given to each country will be in the most affordable price ranges. This includes 40% in the “supporter value tier” and 10% in the new “supporter entry tier”. The remaining tickets will be split between higher-priced categories.
‘Hollow gesture’ or ‘step in right direction’?
Only about 400 tickets for each of England’s group matches will be sold at the new cheaper price. Even so, the FA is pleased because about half of their tickets are now at prices they think are fair for a World Cup in North America.
FA officials are working late to decide how these tickets should be given out and how to reward England’s most loyal fans. An announcement is expected on Wednesday.
One problem is that there are far more loyal fans than there are cheap tickets. Hundreds of supporters have attended every match in the current cycle, but only a small number of low-priced tickets are available.
A Fifa official said ticket demand has been extremely high, with more than 20 million requests in this phase. They said Fifa listened to feedback and believed creating a new cheaper ticket category was the right decision.
The official added that everyone agreed more fans, including loyal travelling supporters, should have access to $60 tickets. However, national football associations will need to decide who receives them.
The official also said this World Cup is different because it is being held in the USA, where ticket resales are allowed on secondary platforms. Demand is very high. They said Fifa supports football development worldwide, and all 211 football associations, including poorer countries, will benefit from a successful World Cup.
Before this change, the Football Supporters’ Europe (FSE) group said it was shocked by what it called Fifa’s extremely high ticket prices and asked for ticket sales to stop immediately.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, group match tickets cost £68.50, £164.50, or £219. However, pricing announced on 11 December showed that tickets for England v Croatia and Scotland v Brazil next year would cost about £198, £373, or £523.
Prices increase even more in later rounds. Quarter-final tickets cost £507, £757, or £1,073. Semi-final tickets are priced at £686, £1,819, or £2,363.
The cheapest ticket for the final costs £3,119, which is seven times more expensive than the final in Qatar. There are no discounted tickets for children or other groups.
FSE spokesperson Greatrex said that even though a small number of tickets are now cheaper, most fans still cannot afford to travel to the World Cup.
He said that offering around 450 tickets from an allocation of about 4,500 makes attending matches feel like a lottery. He added that high prices have damaged the atmosphere and experience for travelling supporters, and this move does not solve the bigger problem of fans being priced out.
The FSE also said there is still no clear pricing plan for supporters with disabilities.
They said they believe Fifa’s announcement is only an attempt to calm global criticism. They called on Fifa to have serious discussions to find a solution that respects fans and supporters with disabilities.
The Football Supporters’ Association’s Fans’ Embassy for England fans said the move is a step in the right direction. However, they added that prices are still too high and that only about 400 to 500 fans per match will benefit.
Published: 17th December 2025
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