England players and staff have purchased up to 1,000 tickets for 'family and friends' for each of their three group matches at the World Cup, according to football policing chief Mark Roberts. The revelation has sparked debate among fans, with some praising the show of support while others criticise the allocation as unfair to ordinary supporters.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for football, disclosed the figures while discussing policing plans for the tournament. For the opening match against Croatia, he said there were 'up to 1,000 friends and family with the FA' among a total of 7,618 tickets bought by those claiming to be England supporters. Similar numbers were reported for matches against Ghana and Panama.
Dave Ryan, a 55-year-old Cambridge United fan and teacher, expressed frustration: 'I completely understand that England players and FA staff should have access to tickets for games so their family and friends can watch them play - but 1,000 tickets for every game. That's just madness and not very fair. England fans are struggling to get tickets and so many are going to those with FA connections.'
However, Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter David Bamford, 63, welcomed the news: 'It's a lot of tickets but it's great so many have been bought. England players and staff are backing the lads. It's good to see.'
The England party, believed to number between 90 and 100 people including players, management, coaches, analysts, press officers, dieticians, masseuses and chefs, have been able to choose and purchase tickets from various price categories. Ticket prices for the Croatia match range from £45 for Category 4 to £520 for Category 1.
