FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets
The new low-cost tickets will be distributed through national associations to help supporters on tighter budgets attend games. AFP News

FIFA has introduced a new tier of lower-priced tickets for the 2026 men's World Cup following sustained criticism of its original pricing, which supporters' groups and consumer advocates said made attending matches prohibitively expensive. The governing body said the changes were intended to broaden access to the tournament, which will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July 2026.

The revised pricing includes a 'Supporter Entry Tier' with tickets priced at $60 (about £45) for all 104 matches, including the final. These tickets will be allocated through national associations to fans of qualified teams. FIFA said the measure was aimed at helping travelling supporters on limited budgets.

The move comes after a global backlash to the initial ticket prices for the expanded 48-team competition, with critics warning that the cost risked excluding many ordinary fans and undermining the inclusive image of football's flagship event.

Original Pricing and Backlash

When FIFA first published face-value ticket price ranges, critics said they reached unprecedented levels for a World Cup. Reports indicated that the cheapest category of tickets for marquee fixtures, including the final, exceeded $4,185 (about £3,131), figures that supporters said were far higher than at previous tournaments.

Fan organisations, including Football Supporters Europe (FSE), criticised the pricing as 'extortionate' and called on FIFA to halt ticket sales and reassess its strategy. The group said the use of dynamic pricing and the limited allocation of affordable seats to general sales, rather than supporter groups, represented a 'monumental betrayal' of World Cup traditions.

Political figures and consumer advocates in several countries also voiced concern. In New York, where the final is scheduled to be played, elected officials urged FIFA to consider the impact of high ticket prices on local supporters and the cultural significance of hosting a global sporting event.

Revised Ticketing Structure

Under FIFA's updated ticketing framework confirmed on 16 December 2025, the Supporter Entry Tier will apply to both group-stage and knockout matches. The tickets form part of national team allocations managed by participating member associations, which FIFA said would prioritise 'loyal fans closely connected to their national teams.'

FIFA said in a statement that around half of each member association's ticket allocation would fall within the most affordable categories, including the Supporter Entry Tier and a Supporter Value Tier. It added that fans whose teams are eliminated before the knockout stage would have administrative fees waived for unsuccessful ticket applications.

The organisation has not disclosed how many tickets will be available at the $60 price point in total, nor what proportion of overall ticket sales they will represent.

Broader Implications

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team format and is expected to generate record attendances and revenues. Observers say the controversy over ticket pricing has highlighted tensions between FIFA's commercial objectives and supporter accessibility.

Whether the introduction of the Supporter Entry Tier signals a longer-term shift in FIFA's approach to ticketing remains unclear. For now, the organisation faces continued scrutiny over how it balances revenue generation with its stated aim of making the World Cup accessible to fans around the world.

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