FIFA on Tuesday unveiled a $60 “Supporter Entry Tier” ticket for the 2026 World Cup, aiming to make the tournament more accessible for fans of qualified teams.
The discounted tickets will cover all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final, but will represent only a small portion of overall allocations.
The 2026 World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. FIFA said the new lower cost tickets would account for 10 percent of Participating Member Associations’ (PMAs) allocations, which manage national team fan programs.
Fans applying through PMA ticketing programs whose teams fail to progress to the knockout stage will have administrative fees waived for refund requests.
The move comes amid mounting scrutiny of ticket pricing. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) criticized FIFA for imposing “extortionate” prices that could keep average fans from attending matches.
FSE director Ronan Evain told Reuters the new pricing tier was “a step in the right direction” but insufficient to address broader affordability concerns.
“Following a team to the final would cost $480 under category four, but jumps to $6,900 for category three,” he said, noting the disparity between fans seated in the same section.
Evain also highlighted a lack of transparency in ticket distribution, saying PMAs are not required to disclose allocation numbers or follow specific guidelines.
“FIFA does not provide any obligations for the PMAs. They have the freedom to choose how they distribute the tickets,” he said. A sports economist, Dr. Maria Lopez, said the move could help some fans but will not resolve underlying equity issues.
“A few hundred discounted tickets per country may assist loyal fans, but for many, attending multiple matches or following their team to the final remains prohibitively expensive,” she said.
According to FIFA, the cheaper tickets will be made available through PMAs to loyal supporters closely connected to their national teams.
For example, England and Scotland fans will have access to roughly 400 discounted tickets during group stage games. Evain said most PMAs do not disclose total ticket numbers, limiting public understanding of availability.
Accessibility for fans with disabilities remains a concern. Evain said that following a team to the final in the cheapest category could cost $7,000 per fan, plus full price companion seats, raising total expenses to approximately $14,000.
James Carter, a lifelong England supporter from Manchester, said the new tier was encouraging but insufficient. “It is nice to see FIFA trying to make tickets cheaper, but there is no way my family could afford to follow England past the group stage,” he said.
In Mexico City, Ana Morales, a fan hoping to see her national team, said she welcomed the $60 option.
“It gives regular fans a chance to attend, even if it is only one or two games,” she said, noting that most other tickets remain out of reach for ordinary supporters.
Observers say FIFA may face further pressure to improve transparency and equity in ticket allocation.
“As the tournament approaches, we expect more scrutiny on who gets access to these lower cost tickets and whether PMAs are prioritizing true fans,” Dr. Lopez said.
FIFA has yet to release detailed guidelines on PMA ticket allocation beyond asking that discounted tickets be assigned to dedicated supporters.
Analysts predict that debates over pricing and access will continue, particularly for fans following teams into later stages of the tournament.
FIFA’s $60 “Supporter Entry Tier” represents a modest attempt to address criticism over 2026 World Cup ticket costs.
While the discounted tickets provide some relief for fans, transparency issues and high prices for later stage matches underscore ongoing concerns.
The effectiveness of the new pricing tier will depend largely on how PMAs distribute tickets and whether average fans can realistically participate in the tournament experience.
