Organizations advocating for football supporters argue that the prices for the 2026 World Cup are exceptionally high. They speak of excessive costs that have become unaffordable for many fans. The matches will be played in a few months in 16 cities across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
The complaint has been submitted to the European Commission. According to the complainants, the world football federation abuses its strong position in ticket sales.
Thousands of Dollars
According to the organizations, supporters have hardly any choice. Anyone who wants to attend a match must accept the high prices; otherwise, access remains impossible.
Promotion
The prices for the final match are particularly criticized. The cheapest tickets still available cost thousands of dollars, significantly more than at previous football tournaments.
Variable Pricing
The use of variable pricing also leads to dissatisfaction. Ticket prices change depending on demand, which can cause costs to rise without a clear upper limit. For many sports events in the United States, this is a usual procedure, but elsewhere in the world, prices are generally set in advance.
Cheaper tickets have been offered, but in practice, they are difficult to obtain. A large portion of these was already allocated to national football organizations and their supporters' clubs before the public sale began.
Resale
Additionally, resale plays a role. On secondary markets, tickets are offered for extremely high amounts, sometimes far above the original price. This resale makes the sales process even less transparent.
Despite the criticism, demand remains high. The tournament, which will be played for the first time with 48 teams, attracts worldwide attention and generates a huge number of ticket requests.
Legal
The European Commission has confirmed that the complaint is under investigation. This could put FIFA in problematic legal waters even before the tournament begins. Meanwhile, FIFA defends the prices as a consequence of the high demand for the tournament.