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World Cup organisers on Tuesday, December 16, announced the introduction of a cheaper ticket category for the 2026 tournament, following sustained criticism over high prices for the competition to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a statement, FIFA said it had created “Supporter Entry Tier” tickets priced at $60 each, which will be available for all 104 matches, including the final. The governing body said the initiative was “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”
According to FIFA, the $60 tickets will be reserved exclusively for supporters of qualified teams and will make up 10 per cent of each national federation’s ticket allocation. The move comes amid mounting pressure from supporter groups, with Football Supporters Europe (FSE) last week describing ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup as “extortionate” and “astronomical.”
FSE said current prices are almost five times higher than those charged during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“If a supporter were to follow their team from the first match to the final, it would cost them a minimum of $6,900,” the group said. FSE also noted that World Cup organisers had previously pledged ticket prices starting from $21 in a bid document released in 2018.
Announcing the new pricing tier, FIFA said national football federations “are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams.”
FIFA also confirmed that supporters who purchase tickets for knockout-stage matches but see their team eliminated earlier in the tournament “will have the administrative fee waived when refunds are processed.” The organisation added that the decision comes “amid extraordinary global demand for tickets,” revealing that more than 20 million requests have already been submitted.
The draw for tickets across all price categories in the first phase of sales is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13.
