Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices
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Opinion The FT ViewFifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket pricesNext year’s tournament in North America is turning into an elitist spectacleThe editorial boardAdd to myFTGet instant alerts for this topicManage your delivery channels hereRemove from myFTPresident Donald Trump with the head of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, in the Oval Office. Fifa’s pricing will hinder its efforts to grow the sport’s appeal in the US © Annabelle Gordon/UPI/BloombergFifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on x (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on facebook (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on linkedin (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on x (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on facebook (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on linkedin (opens in a new window)Fifa scores an own goal with its World Cup ticket prices on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save The editorial boardPublishedDecember 16 2025Jump to comments sectionPrint this pageUnlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Fifa’s decision to expand the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for next summer’s finals across the US, Canada and Mexico was pitched by its president Gianni Infantino as an opportunity for the beautiful game truly to live up to its international brand. But after football’s governing body opened its main ticket ballot last week and revealed its pricing strategy, this tournament is starting to resemble a premium spectacle for those with deep pockets, not a shared global festival open to all.Tickets are priced higher than the indicative ranges given in the host nations’ original bid. General admission tickets for the group stage — many costing hundreds of dollars — are up to three times more expensive than in the previous World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Pricing for the initial games is based on the perceived popularity of the fixture, a departure from recent tournaments that used flat rates. The cheapest ticket banding also accounts for only a sliver of some stadium allocations.Fifa notified member associations last week that the cheapest final tickets would start at $4,195.
Football Supporters Europe, a fan group, has estimated that a fan would need to spend at least $6,900 on tickets to follow their team from the opening game to the final — almost five times the cost at the last tournament. Fifa will also operate a resale platform, taking a 15 per cent cut from both buyer and seller.Fan groups are understandably outraged. Ticket costs come before factoring in the cost of flying to, and between, 16 host cities across the North American continent, as well as food and accommodation. US President Donald Trump’s proposal to require tourists to disclose five years of social media history adds further concern.If expanding the tournament was meant to broaden football’s global reach, pricing many fans out undermines that goal.
This World Cup will be the first for nations including Cape Verde and Curaçao. Haiti has qualified for only the second time. Fans from such countries were always going to struggle to attend the tournament, but tickets to attend all group stage matches could now cost multiples of their monthly salary. Supporters from a number of other countries also say they will stay at home. The manager of the Scottish national team warned the Tartan Army not to put themselves into debt by travelling next summer. Fifa’s pricing will hinder its efforts, too, to grow the sport’s appeal in the US. If there are fewer international travellers, that will dim the festive, global atmosphere that has long enriched on-field entertainment. High prices will also squeeze and potentially deter households that are already struggling with America’s high cost of living. Still, this World Cup is shaping up to be a cash cow for Fifa. Its platform received 5mn ticket requests in the first 24 hours of the open ballot that began last Thursday. The demand to watch stars such as France’s Kylian Mbappé or England’s Harry Kane is indeed enormous. In the wealthy US market, many will pay a premium to be part of the spectacle. The expanded format also guarantees higher ticket and TV revenues. The Zurich-based body projects record $13bn in revenue in the four-year cycle ending in 2026 — up from the $7.6bn of the Qatar cycle.Supporters may feel Fifa is profiting at their expense. The non-profit global governing body will argue that higher revenues can be reinvested into grassroots football. But money alone cannot grow the game. Fairer ticket prices would enable a broader range of fans to experience the World Cup first-hand, creating memories that deepen loyalty and widen appeal. For a sport that prides itself on being global, access is an investment too.Reuse this content (opens in new window) CommentsJump to comments sectionPromoted Content Follow the topics in this article The editorial board Add to myFT The FT View Add to myFT FIFA Men's World Cup Add to myFT Travel & leisure industry Add to myFT Comments