World Cup 2026: Fan Group Accuses FIFA of Prioritizing Profit Over Fans

FSE calls out FIFA's 'astronomical' World Cup ticket prices

FIFA accused of 'monumental betrayal' of World Cup tradition with ticket pricing. Fan group Football Supporters Europe demands FIFA halt World Cup ticket sales over high prices.

“This is a handful of people who are trying to make as much money as possible from the tournament...”

A fan group, Football Supporters Europe (FSE), is urging FIFA to stop selling tickets for the World Cup, saying the prices are too high and will keep ordinary fans from attending. FSE claims FIFA is prioritizing profit over fans, with ticket prices reaching “astronomical” levels, especially for national team allocations.

The group is specifically targeting the prices for tickets allocated to Participating Member Associations (PMAs), which are often sold through official supporters' clubs or loyalty schemes. FSE wants FIFA to review its pricing strategy and make tickets more accessible to fans.

FSE claims that FIFA's ticket prices for the World Cup are way too high, with a supporter following their team from the first group match to the final via the PMA route paying at least $6,900, almost 5x the price of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

They're urging FIFA to halt ticket sales until prices are reviewed, saying it's unfair to shut out ordinary fans. FIFA hasn't responded to the criticism yet.

FSE says fans are even more frustrated because FIFA won't make Category 4 tickets available to loyal supporters through their associations. Instead, FIFA is reserving those tickets for general public sales, which are subject to dynamic pricing. FSE calls this a "monumental betrayal" of World Cup tradition and the contribution of traveling supporters to the tournament's atmosphere.

“For the prices that have been put up by FIFA, we're a bit stunned,” FSE Executive Director Ronan Evain told Reuters.

“This is a handful of people who are trying to make as much money as possible from the tournament. And we believe this approach is putting the very nature of the tournament at risk.”

“For the final, tickets are going up to ⁠about $4,000. You need fans, you need the life in the stands, you need the colour, you need the atmosphere. With these prices, none of this will happen,” he said.

For the first time at a World Cup, FSE says there will be no consistent prices across all group-stage games. FIFA is introducing variable pricing based on factors like the “attractiveness” of a fixture, meaning fans of different teams could pay different amounts for the same category of ticket.

Evain says this new structure will price out many ordinary fans, especially families, and there's little transparency on how prices are set. “It's a real concern that fans are being priced out,” he said, adding that FIFA's approach is prioritizing profit over fans.

“A lot of people that were hesitating ⁠in travelling to the US are now saying they need to take an ‌extraordinary financial risk, especially if you're a family,” he said.

“We are in the region of $30,000 for a family of four. The vast majority of football fans can't afford this. Even in Europe.”

FSE is calling on FIFA to stop selling tickets through the PMA route and start talking to fans and associations to find a better solution. They want FIFA to “pause PMA ticket sales and open consultations with member associations, supporters' groups and other stakeholders until a solution that respects the tradition, universality and cultural significance of the World Cup is found.”

👏 Football Supporters Europe statement on the ridiculous World Cup prices. Calling on FIFA to halt sales immediately.

$7,000+ to follow your team to the final has to be paid in advance in February.

FIFA will only refund in July - minus a $10 refund fee per ticket! pic.twitter.com/3j1KO6oGiR

— Scotland’s Coefficient (@scotlandscoeff1) December 11, 2025