In response to global criticism, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced a significant reduction in ticket prices for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will be held across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA said on Tuesday it will offer $60 tickets for each of the 104 matches at the North American World Cup, including the final, after 20 million ticket requests.
Entry-Level Tickets For Loyal Fans
FIFA said the plan was “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament”.
The “Supporter Entry Tier” tickets fixed at $60 will be allocated to the national federations of participating teams, who will then distribute them to loyal fans who have attended previous games. The number of these tickets for each game is expected to be in the hundreds, rather than thousands.
Criticism from fans, especially in Europe, had been increasing for several months over the prices. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) accused FIFA of imposing “extortionate” ticket prices that could prevent average fans from attending matches.
Ticket Cuts Amid World Cup Economic Debate
The decision to slash ticket prices comes amid concerns about the economic impact of hosting the World Cup and widespread affordability concerns. The tournament, set to take place in 2026, is expected to inject millions of visitors into U.S. cities, from Los Angeles to New York.
Initially, the lowest-priced tickets were between $120 and $265 for group-stage matches not featuring the three co-host nations, even though the hosts had earlier promised to offer hundreds of thousands of tickets priced at $21.
However, according to economists, the event’s economic benefits may not necessarily translate to stronger economic growth. Studies show that World Cup–related economic gains are usually short-lived and limited to certain sectors, while stadium and infrastructure costs often outweigh the benefits. Much of the spending is merely shifted rather than newly created, with governments bearing most of the costs.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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