FIFA accused of 'monumental betrayal' over latest World Cup ticket prices
The lowest price for the final was US$4,185, and the highest was US$8,680.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino pauses during the match schedule reveal for the 2026 soccer World Cup in Washington, on Dec 6, 2025. (Photo: AP/Chris Carlson)
Football fans have accused FIFA of a "monumental betrayal" after the latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate on Thursday (Dec 11).
The governing body allocates 8 per cent of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans.
And a list published by the German football federation revealed prices ranged from US$180 to US$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final in New Jersey was US$4,185, and the highest was US$8,680.
Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA’s claims of US$60 tickets being available, while the target from United States football officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of US$21 seats across the opening phase of games.
Fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as "extortionate".
"This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is," it said in a statement.
The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final, it would cost just over US$7,000.
FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from US$60 for group-stage matches to US$6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.
FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1.
In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories.
The lowest-priced ticket was US$180 for Germany’s opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was US$920 rising to US$1,125.
The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations "until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found".
The Associated Press approached FIFA for comment.
LATEST PHASE
FIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales on Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its "Random Selection Draw".
Following last week's draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published.
That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place.
Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups.
Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for.
The draw opened on Thursday at 11am ET (Friday, 12am, Singapore time) and closes on Jan 13, 2026.
FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA's website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament.
Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for.
Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically.
PRICES
The last time the US hosted the World Cup in 1994, prices ranged from US$25 to US$475. In Qatar in 2022, prices ranged from around US$70 to US$1,600 when ticket details were announced.
Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on Jul 19 are already going for in excess of US$11,000 on secondary resale sites.
For this tournament, FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15 per cent fee based on the total resale price.
FIFA said that closer to the tournament, any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis.
It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets.
