Football supporters’ groups across Europe have criticised FIFA after the organisation released record-high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Fans say the costs — which have risen to seven times higher than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — are “extortionate”, “astonishing”, and a complete “betrayal” of the loyal supporters who travel the world to follow their national teams.

The backlash erupted when ticket prices for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New York were revealed, with the cheapest seats starting at more than £3,100.

Sky-High Prices for the 2026 World Cup Final

According to BBC Sport, FIFA has created three price tiers for the final:

• Supporter Value Tier – £3,119 ($4,185)
• Supporter Standard Tier – £4,162 ($5,560)
• Supporter Premium Tier – £6,615 ($8,860)

These are the most expensive World Cup tickets in history, dwarfing the 2022 prices where the cheapest final ticket cost £450.

FIFA has also confirmed:

• There will be no concessions for children, families or other groups.
• Group-stage matches will not be priced equally — instead, they vary by each team’s “perceived popularity”.
• This change means supporters of big nations like England will pay more, while fans of smaller nations will pay less for the same stages.

Fan organisations say the “popularity” criteria have not been explained publicly.

England and Scotland Fans Already Feeling the Cost

With variable pricing in place, ticket prices for England’s group matches include:

• England vs Croatia: £198, £373, £523
• England vs Ghana: £164, £320, £447
• England vs Panama: £164, £346, £462

Meanwhile, Scotland’s first two group games are cheaper:

• Scotland vs Haiti: £134, £298, £372
• Scotland vs Morocco: £163, £320, £447

Both Scotland’s match against Brazil and England’s match against Croatia share the same top bracket of pricing.

Fans heading to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will face costs of between:

• Quarter-finals: £507 to £1,073
• Semi-finals: £686 to £2,363

A full tournament package — all the way to the final — will cost:

• £5,225 (low tier)
• £8,580 (mid tier)
• £12,357 (top tier)

This is significantly higher than the equivalent Qatar package, which cost between £1,466 and £3,914.

Supporters’ Groups Outraged

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) Call for “Immediate Halt”

Football Supporters Europe, which represents fans across the continent, said FIFA’s pricing policy is unacceptable:

“Ticket prices have reached astronomical levels. The lowest-price category is not available to national associations, and fans will face inconsistency and unfairness across group games.”

FSE argues that this is the first time a World Cup has used variable pricing across group matches, creating huge inequality for supporters.

Football Supporters’ Association (England) Calls It a “Slap in the Face”

The FSA’s England Fans’ Embassy has echoed the criticism:

“These prices are a slap in the face to supporters who follow their team year-round. Loyalty has been thrown aside.”

Fans Themselves Say They Feel “Betrayed”

England fan Luke Buxton told BBC Radio 5 Live:

“It’s absolutely outrageous — a big betrayal to the most dedicated fans.”

He said the rising costs may force him to miss the knockout rounds altogether.

Scotland fan John Wallan added that attending with his family may cost between £15,000 and £20,000, calling the expenses “unbelievable”.

How the 2026 Ticket Ballot Works

• The main ticket ballot opened on Thursday.
• Fans can apply for individual matches or “Follow Your Team” packages.
• Each household can request up to four tickets per match and a maximum of 40 for the tournament.
• Around 4,000 tickets per match are allocated to each participating nation’s official supporters’ clubs.
• Dynamic pricing will not be used during this ballot phase — but resale tickets will likely be far more expensive later.

Refunds will be issued for any “Follow Your Team” matches not played if a nation is knocked out early.