After protests, FIFA revises its pricing policy: cheaper tickets (but from World Cup 2030)

The Fifa will review its strategy on ticket prices for the 2030 World Cup following protests over skyrocketing prices ahead of the 2026 edition, co-organised by the United States, Mexico and Canada this summer, a Fifa official announced. "We are listening, we are taking feedback into consideration and, of course, as with every World Cup, we will analyse the situation and see how to proceed for the next edition," Fifa Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom told reporters after the federation's congress in Vancouver, Canada. He stressed, however, that the high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup reflected 'the reality of the North American market'.

"I will always listen to the fans and their opinions, but I believe there is a wide range of prices for tickets; some are cheap, others cost more," he said. Fifa, the organiser of the World Cup, has been accused of offering exorbitantly priced tickets, despite promises made when the tournament was awarded. Yet, it plans to break the historical record of 3.5 million tickets sold for a World Cup, set in the 1994 edition. This summer, the tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, 78 of which will be played in the United States.

The European Supporters' Federation (ESF) and Euroconsumers, an organisation representing consumers across the continent, have announced that they have lodged a complaint with the European Commission against Fifa for abuse of market dominance and demand that it abandon its 'opaque and unfair' procurement practices. For Fifa president Gianni Infantino, the prices are simply a consequence of the huge demand. 'In the United States in particular, there is so-called dynamic pricing, which means that prices rise or fall depending on the game,' he pointed out. According to media reports, this week four tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium in New York, scheduled for 19 July, were being offered on Fifa's official resale site for $2 million each. Other resale platforms regularly offer tickets for the final for tens of thousands of dollars. Mattias Grafstrom assured that revenues from the 2026 World Cup, which could reach $13 billion, will be reinvested in football.