FIFA recorded 5 million ticket requests in the first 24 hours of the World Cup ballot even as fan organisations lambasted “extortionate” prices, according to multiple media reports.
Prices began circulating Thursday, with lists published by the German and Croatian football federations for their respective participant member associations (PMAs) revealing steep hikes compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which represents fans across the continent, calculated that the most dedicated fans who follow their team from the first match to the final, can expect to pay at least US$6,900 – five times what it cost in Qatar. With the month-long tournament spread across the US, Canada and Mexico, that figure could more than double once flights and accommodations are factored in.
Depending on the varying group stages, prices range from US$180 to US$700 per game, with the cheapest tickets to the final coming in at US$4,185 – all a far cry from the target of hundreds of thousands of US$21 seats made in the US bid seven years ago, or even FIFA’s claims of US$60 tickets.
“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is”, FSE said, calling on FIFA to halt PMA tickets sales until a solution is found.
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Thursday marked the opening of a random lottery for tickets, allowing all fans to go online and order as many tickets as they want at fixed prices. Tickets sold in earlier windows, before the draw for the tournament held last week, were subject to dynamic pricing. FIFA also abandoned the use of standard prices across all group matches, FSE noted, instead appearing to be “dependent on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the fixture.”
Despite criticism over “record high prices,” fans began applying at 4 pm GMT for a chance to see their side play, totalling 5 million ticket requests in the first 24 hours. FIFA touted the “excitement” of fans from over 200 countries, showing little sign that soccer’s governing body will back down on costs.
The window for applications runs until 13 January and there is no advantage to applying early – or guarantee that you will get tickets at all. Once applications close, a lottery will determine the winners and FIFA will notify fans by email in February.
Any remaining inventory will be released on a first-come, first-served basis closer to the tournament with FIFA manually altering prices based on demand.
