England supporters have been handed a boost for the 2026 World Cup, as FIFA has confirmed that thousands of affordable tickets will be 'ring-fenced' for genuine fans. The world governing body will allocate eight per cent of its ticket allocation for every England match to be sold to supporters via the Football Association's England Supporters' Travel Club, with prices starting at £45 for group stage games.
The ring-fenced tickets will go on sale from December 11 until January 13, covering all group matches and knockout rounds through to the final on July 19. This move aims to ensure that fixed-price tickets are available for genuine fans, avoiding the steep price rises seen in general admission tickets for the tournament, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
General admission prices have faced criticism, with tickets for the United States' opening fixture costing £400 and the cheapest final ticket priced at £1,500. However, FIFA insists that genuine travelling fans will be catered for through the ring-fenced allocations. A FIFA statement confirmed that these allocations are set at a fixed price for the duration of the next ticket sales phase.
FIFA has also launched its own resale site to combat ticket touting, charging a 15 per cent levy on both buyer and seller. The organisation notes that over 50 per cent of football federations rely on FIFA revenue to survive, and that profits from ticket sales are reinvested into the game globally.
