Latest Football (Soccer) News
FIFA cuts some World Cup tickets to $60 after global fan backlash
FIFA announced a new "Supporter Entry Tier" that will make some tickets available at $60 for every match, including a small allocation for the final, after widespread criticism of its original pricing and dynamic-pricing plans. FIFA also said it will waive administrative fees for refunds issued after the final
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Fan groups and UK PM say FIFA's changes don't go far enough
Supporter organisations like Football Supporters Europe welcomed the price cuts but said revisions fail to address issues such as accessibility and companion tickets for disabled fans. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged FIFA to go further to keep World Cup access affordable for genuine supporters
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FIFA’s allocation and pricing details draw scrutiny
FIFA clarified that 8% of tickets are allocated to national associations and that 10% of those will be priced at $60 — equating to limited numbers (for the final around 450 of 4,500 tickets) — a move seen as small relative to overall allocations.
Dynamic pricing and FIFA-operated resale platform criticized
Critics highlighted FIFA's use of dynamic pricing and a FIFA-run resale platform — practices common in US entertainment but controversial among global football fans — as drivers of the backlash that prompted the price adjustments.
Refund timing for multi-match bookings sparks anger
Fans were angered that supporters who reserved tickets covering all of their team’s potential matches would not be refunded until after the tournament; FIFA later said it would waive administrative fees for post-final refunds.
Revenue stakes: 48-team 2026 World Cup expected to be lucrative
The expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup across North America is projected to generate at least $10 billion in revenue for FIFA, a context that critics say makes affordability measures particularly important.
FIFA frames revenue as reinvestment into global football growth
FIFA defended its pricing and revenue strategy by saying proceeds from the World Cup are reinvested into men’s, women’s and youth football across its 211 member associations.
Limited $60 seats per match likely to be in the hundreds, not thousands
Reports indicate the new $60 supporter-tier allocations per match will likely number in the hundreds, not thousands, reflecting the constrained nature of the relief offered to travelling fans.
Media and AP coverage emphasizes fan backlash as catalyst
Major outlets and the Associated Press report that worldwide fan outrage, especially from Europe, forced FIFA to revise its ticketing approach, highlighting the influence of organized supporter voices.
Calls for ongoing dialogue between FIFA and supporter groups
Supporter groups are calling for continued, meaningful engagement with FIFA to craft ticketing policies that respect fans’ contributions and ensure dignity and accessibility, rather than one-off concessions.