Fans across the globe are facing World Cup heartbreak as FIFA’s staggering ticket prices for the 2026 tournament threaten to lock out the very people who make the event. Supporters’ groups have slammed the costs as a “laughable insult,” with many discovering a single match ticket exceeds a month’s wages.
The Football Supporters’ Association didn’t hold back, branding the pricing strategy “a joke” that shows contempt for the ordinary fan. For supporters from nations like Ghana, the dream of following the Black Stars in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is in tatters. One devastated fan told the BBC of the widespread “anger and disappointment” as families are forced to cancel plans they’ve saved years for.
The cold, hard numbers make for grim reading. FIFA revealed that group stage tickets are up to three times the price of those for Qatar 2022. And forget about the final, the cheapest seat for the showpiece event will set you back a mind boggling £3,119. That’s before you’ve even booked a flight or found a place to stay in host cities notorious for expensive accommodation.
Despite the fury, FIFA claims demand is through the roof. They boasted of receiving five million ticket requests from over 200 countries in just 24 hours since the latest sales phase opened. But critics argue this only highlights how corporate and tourist demand is squeezing out genuine supporters. “It’s not a World Cup, it’s a cash grab,” one angry England fan was quoted as saying online.
When you stack it up against other big US events, the scale of the hike becomes clear. While the Super Bowl is notoriously pricey, starting around £3,500 on resale sites, that’s a one off event. An NBA finals ticket last year started at just over £50. Even Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had face value tickets under £350. FIFA’s pricing for a 48 team tournament spanning weeks is in a different, brutal league.
The broader significance is a World Cup losing its soul. The tournament risk being played out in half empty stadiums filled with a wealthy few, rather than the passionate, colourful crowds that define it. It’s a PR disaster for FIFA and leaves the football world asking who this expanded global showpiece is actually for. With the draw and further ticket phases still to come, this anger isn’t going away.