The Football Association (FA) is set to relay England supporters' anger over the high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup to Fifa, despite expectations that the governing body will not change its policy. The cheapest group-stage tickets for England fans will cost at least $220 (£165), ten times the $21 (£15.70) promised in the original bid for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) described the prices as “scandalous” and “a step too far for many supporters.” FSA added: “Everything we feared about the direction in which Fifa wants to take the game was confirmed – Gianni Infantino only sees supporter loyalty as something to be exploited for profit.” Fans on the England Supporters Travel Club's private Facebook page expressed outrage, with many considering attending fewer games or boycotting the tournament.
The cheapest tickets for the World Cup final will cost $4,185 (£3,120), over 30 times the original bid price. This does not include travel and accommodation costs. One fan highlighted that wheelchair users would have to pay the same price as able-bodied fans, and their companions would also be charged.
The FA, which only learned of the prices on Thursday, is aware of the strong feelings and will pass concerns to Fifa. The German football association (DFB) admitted it would have preferred more affordable tickets but has no control over pricing. Scotland fans, who qualified for their first finals since 1998, face similarly high prices, with the Scottish Football Supporters Association calling on national associations to “hold Fifa to account.”
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would not intervene, stating: “That’s clearly a matter for Fifa to speak to. The prime minister would always hope that any major sporting event was accessible to as many people as possible, but it’s for Fifa to speak to their ticketing policies, not for me.”
