The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on 11 June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Marking the first time that 48 teams will participate, the complete tournament schedule has already been released. Following the recent announcement of the updated ticket prices, football fans have expressed widespread dissatisfaction, particularly regarding the final match tickets, which are priced at extremely high levels.
According to the Associated Press (AP), FIFA allocates 8 per cent of total tickets to the national football associations of participating countries. This allocation is designed to allow these associations to sell tickets to their most loyal and committed supporters.
The ticket list released by the German Football Association indicates that tickets for group stage matches range from $180 to $700, equivalent to approximately 21,955 BDT to 85,384 BDT. In contrast, the cheapest ticket for the final is priced at $4,185 (around 510,000 BDT), while the most expensive ticket reaches $8,680 (approximately 1,058,764 BDT).
BBC has reported that the supporters’ group Football Supporters Europe expressed shock at FIFA’s “excessive pricing” policy and has urged the organisation to halt ticket sales immediately. Similarly, the England Football Supporters Association described these inflated prices as equivalent to “slapping fans in the face.” FIFA has not yet responded to these criticisms.
BBC Sport further stated that final tickets will be sold in three tiers: Supporter Value Tier at $4,185, Supporter Standard Tier at $5,560, and Supporter Premier Tier at $8,680.
AP notes that these current group stage prices do not correspond with FIFA’s promise made seven years ago to offer tickets starting at $60. When the United States submitted its bid to host the 2026 World Cup, the organisers intended to provide thousands of tickets at $21 for the opening matches. The newly released prices are far removed from that original plan.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) stated, “This represents a significant betrayal of the World Cup’s heritage, and the contribution of supporters has not been properly respected.” The group has called on FIFA to suspend ticket sales through national associations until a solution is implemented that honours the World Cup’s traditions, universality, and cultural significance.
FIFA had announced in September that ticket prices on its website would initially range from $60 for group stage matches to $6,730 for the final. However, the introduction of “dynamic pricing” for the first time allows these amounts to fluctuate, leading to the current controversy and fan backlash.