England's World Cup opener against Croatia still has hundreds of tickets available, as FIFA faces the prospect of more empty seats at another high-profile match. The governing body's ticketing strategy has been widely criticised for months and is proving counterproductive, with thousands of empty seats visible during the tournament's second game between South Korea and the Czech Republic on Friday morning.
High prices deter fans
England is traditionally one of the best-supported nations, but exorbitant ticket prices mean their opening game is not sold out just five days before kick-off. Hundreds of tickets remain available on official and unofficial resale platforms. The cheapest ticket costs $867 (£648), while fans can pay up to $9,225 (£6,900) for a VIP package with meal and lounge access. Hospitality tickets on FIFA's website range from $2,430 (£1,811) to $3,150 (£2,347).
Other group games also affected
Tickets for England's other group matches face similar issues. On one resale site, tickets for the second group game against Ghana in Boston range from £423 to £4,354, while the match against Panama has tickets from £513 to £6,678.
FIFA has repeatedly defended its ticketing approach but was forced to reduce some prices to attract more supporters. President Gianni Infantino stated: "Every dollar that comes in goes back into the development of football. We have one competition every four years that generates revenue. The other 47 months we invest this revenue in the growth of the game. This allows us to maintain free TV; we could put everything on pay and generate £30 billion probably, but then billions around the world can't watch the World Cup."
Fan groups criticise pricing
Tickets for some less popular group stage matches remain on sale for over $300 (£223), not including additional costs like flights and accommodation, which have also surged. In February, the Football Supporters Association's Fan Embassy warned FIFA: "Surprise surprise, FIFA are finding out that supporters will turn their backs on ludicrous prices, however prestigious the game. Thousands of pounds for any football match is beyond greedy. The most loyal fans, be they English supporters or those of any other nationality, are being priced out. FIFA needs to change direction. Atmosphere-free stands shorn of fans from across the planet do not make a 'World' Cup."
