Fifa reports five million ticket requests for 2026 World Cup
Fifa has announced that five million ticket requests flooded in within the first 24 hours of the third sales phase for the 2026 World Cup, reports BritPanorama.
This surge in demand comes alongside widespread condemnation from supporter groups across Britain, which have labelled the pricing structure as “scandalous” and “disgraceful.”
Football’s world governing body revealed that fans from more than 200 countries submitted applications for the tournament, scheduled to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has urged the Football Association (FA) to challenge what it deems outrageous costs, while Football Supporters Europe has called for an immediate halt to ticket sales.
The group stage match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27 has generated the most interest, with supporters from the three host nations leading the demand, followed closely by Colombia, England, and Scotland.
Comparative ticket prices have increased significantly since the last World Cup. In Qatar, group stage fixtures were priced at £68.50, £164.50, or £219, while tickets for matches such as England versus Croatia and Scotland versus Brazil next summer will cost approximately £198, £373, or £523. The escalation is even more pronounced in the knockout rounds.
Quarter-final tickets range from £507 to £1,073, and semi-final seats span £686 to £2,363. The final has a staggering price point, with the cheapest available ticket priced at £3,119, reflecting a sevenfold increase compared to Qatar. Notably, Fifa has not introduced any concessions for children or other groups across ticket categories.
Supporters wishing to follow their teams through to the final would face costs nearing £5,225 for the lowest-priced seats across all eight matches. The FSA has joined Football Supporters Europe in requesting that Fifa suspend the sales process to allow for negotiations on pricing policy.
In a statement, the FSA asserted their support for Football Supporters Europe’s call, urging the FA to collaborate with fellow associations to directly challenge these excessive prices. They accused Fifa of betraying loyal supporters, asserting that dedicated fans would be unable to attend due to unaffordable tickets.
“Fifa has decided to make it all about the money and the elite who can afford it. The life has been sucked out of this tournament before it starts,” the FSA declared. In response, the FA confirmed they would raise supporters’ concerns with Fifa following calls to lobby the governing body over ticket prices.
FA chair Debbie Hewitt is set to attend a Fifa Council meeting in Doha next week and has previously expressed her opposition to dynamic ticket pricing, pledging this model would not be applied at Euro 2028, which will be hosted by the UK and Ireland.
Scottish supporter groups have been particularly vocal in their opposition, indicating that the current pricing structure would exclude many fans. The Association of Tartan Army Clubs lamented, “FIFA have killed the dream of our young fans, desperate to get to a World Cup.” Despite the issues raised, neither the FA nor the Scottish FA has publicly commented on the pricing controversy, and Fifa declined to provide further comment when approached.
As ticket requests surge, the balancing act between accessibility and profit-making raises concerns about the inclusivity of global football.
