FIFA has been warned that 'alarm bells should be ringing' after England's most dedicated fans have turned their backs on tickets for the latter stages of the 2026 World Cup, citing exorbitant prices.
Loyal Fans Priced Out of World Cup Dream
The England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) has confirmed that its ticket allocations for matches from the quarter-finals to the final are currently undersubscribed. This starkly contrasts with the high demand for group-stage and round-of-16 tickets, which are oversubscribed and will require a ballot.
The primary reason for the snub is a dramatic surge in cost. The majority of tickets allocated to Participating Member Associations (PMA) are up to five times more expensive than those for the previous tournament in Qatar. Prices escalate sharply from the quarter-final stage onwards.
The Staggering Cost of Supporting England
While FIFA introduced a limited number of affordable 'supporter entry' tickets at £44.70 per match, these account for just 10% of the fan allocation. The remaining 90% carry a premium that many fans cannot justify.
The price list for England's potential journey to the final makes for sobering reading:
- Quarter-final tickets start from at least £506.
- Semi-final tickets have a minimum price of £685.
- World Cup final tickets command a staggering starting price of £3,117.
England would receive 3,500 tickets for both the quarter and semi-finals, rising to 4,500 for the final. Of these final tickets, only 600 would fall into the affordable category.
Supporters Groups Sound the Alarm
The Free Lions supporters group, which acts as the Football Supporters' Association's Fans' Embassy, has been vocal in its criticism. They stated the undersubscribed allocations for the semi-final and final 'speak for themselves', reflecting a fanbase that has been effectively priced out.
In a post on X, they highlighted the significant risk: 'England fans will gamble on getting a $60 ticket, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a huge drop in numbers if members don’t get their hands on one of them.'
The group emphasised that it is unacceptable for PMA allocations—meant for a nation's most loyal followers—to remain unsold, especially when England's travel club has over 30,000 members competing for a tiny number of seats. They argue this is a clear sign that FIFA's pricing model is fundamentally flawed and is letting down the heart of the international game.
The application window for these tickets closes on 13 January 2026, leaving FIFA with a looming public relations and attendance problem if the trend continues.
