MIAMI — FIFA has slashed the price of some 2026 World Cup tickets following a global backlash, opening the door for the most loyal supporters to pay $60 for seats at every match — even the final — instead of facing prices as high as $4,185.
The governing body said Tuesday that the new $60 tickets will be available for every game at the North American tournament and will be distributed through the national federations of the teams involved. Those federations will decide which “travelling fans” qualify, typically based on past attendance at home and away games.
FIFA is branding the new option as a “Supporter Entry Tier” category. The allocation for each match is expected to be in the hundreds rather than the thousands, making these tickets limited but symbolically important after weeks of anger from fan groups.
While FIFA did not explicitly admit fault, it said the lower-price category is “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”
From $4,185 final tickets to $60 “Supporter Entry Tier”
The climbdown comes after fans reacted with shock to FIFA’s original ticketing plans, which left participating teams with no access to the lowest-priced tickets in the general sale.
For many matches, including group-stage fixtures not involving co-hosts United States, Canada or Mexico, the cheapest options were priced between $120 and $265. Tickets for later rounds and the final climbed steeply, with some “follow your team” packages for the showpiece game carrying prices above $4,000.
Supporters’ groups argued that FIFA’s initial pricing locked out the very people who create the atmosphere — especially those who attend qualifiers and travel long distances to follow their national teams. The new $60 tier is designed to provide fans with at least some access to more affordable seats.
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The 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32, and is projected to generate at least $10 billion in revenue for FIFA.
Eight years ago, when the North American bid was competing to host the event, the organizers pledged that “hundreds of thousands” of tickets priced around $21 would be made available to help keep the World Cup accessible. That promise became a rallying point as fans compared it with the far higher price bands announced this year.
The perception that FIFA was chasing maximum income while squeezing match-going supporters fueled the backlash, particularly in Europe, where organized fan groups have been vocal about rising costs and creeping “eventization” of major matches.
Dynamic pricing and resale fees spark anger
The controversy was not just about headline prices. Fan anger had been building for months over plans to introduce “dynamic pricing” — a system that allows ticket prices to fluctuate based on demand — and additional fees on a FIFA-run resale platform.
Those mechanisms are common in U.S. sports and entertainment, but they are far less accepted in soccer, where supporters are used to fixed-price tickets and more predictable costs. Many fans warned that dynamic pricing would make it impossible to budget for trips and would effectively auction off seats to the highest bidder.
The situation escalated last week when it became clear that loyal supporters would have no access to the cheapest ticket categories and that fans who bought “follow your team” packages all the way through the final would not receive any refunds until after the tournament ended, even if their team was eliminated early.
In a further concession on Tuesday, FIFA said it would waive its administrative fees when those refunds are processed after the July 19 final, softening another point of criticism.
Limited relief, but symbolic shift toward fans
The new $60 “Supporter Entry Tier” tickets are unlikely to solve every concern. With allocations measured in hundreds, most fans will still face the original price structure, and there are no signs that dynamic pricing or the FIFA-run resale platform will be scrapped entirely.
Even so, the move represents a notable shift for an organization often accused of ignoring fan sentiment. By allowing national federations to distribute cheaper tickets directly to long-standing supporters, FIFA is at least acknowledging that loyalty should count for something at its flagship event.
For travelling fans hoping to snag one of the new $60 seats, the message is clear: stay close to your national association, keep an eye on allocation rules — and expect competition to be fierce.
Sources:
AP News – “FIFA slashes some World Cup ticket prices after backlash, offers $60 seats to loyal fans”
BBC Sport – “Fifa reduces 2026 World Cup ticket prices for travelling fans after criticism”
