Fans take legal action against FIFA over World Cup ticket costs
The Football Supporters Europe group has filed a lawsuit with the European Commission against FIFA, claiming the organization is charging excessive ticket prices for the upcoming World Cup finals. The complaint, supported by Euroconsumers, argues that FIFA’s monopoly over ticket sales has led to unfair and opaque pricing for fans. According to the groups, ticket prices for the final are significantly higher than previous tournaments, with some resale prices reaching extraordinary levels. FIFA has responded by introducing a limited number of cheaper tickets, but critics say these are scarce and hard to access.
Match highlights
- Football Supporters Europe and Euroconsumers have accused FIFA of abusing its monopoly to impose high ticket prices and unfair purchasing conditions for the 2026 World Cup.
- The cheapest final tickets now start at $4,185, more than seven times the cost of the cheapest 2022 World Cup final ticket.
- Some tickets for the final on FIFA’s official resale site have been listed for as much as $143,750, over 41 times their original face value.
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino claims dynamic pricing is used due to high demand, but critics argue there is no transparency or cap on prices.
- FIFA introduced a $60 ticket category, but these are extremely limited and primarily reserved for fans of qualified teams, making them difficult for the general public to obtain.
