The cost of following a team throughout the entirety of the tournament has seen a substantial increase since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Frustration continues to mount among supporters regarding the exorbitant expenses associated with attending the 2026 World Cup.
The Football Supporters’ Association has denounced the ticket prices as a “laughable insult” to the fanbase.
For some nations with smaller economies, the cost of tickets for the group stage surpasses the average monthly income, even before accounting for travel and lodging.
One Ghana supporter expressed to the BBC their “anger and disappointment” that Black Stars enthusiasts may now be compelled to abandon their plans.
Fifa’s pricing strategy, unveiled on Thursday, reveals group-stage tickets priced up to three times higher than those for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The least expensive ticket for the final match will amount to £3,119.
On Friday, Fifa reported receiving five million ticket requests from fans spanning over 200 countries within the first 24 hours of the latest ticketing phase launch.
Many Ghana fans are reconsidering their plans to support their team at the World Cup
“It’s an opportunity to qualify. It’s an opportunity to participate in a major event,” declared Fifa President Gianni Infantino in January 2017.
The Fifa Council had just unanimously approved expanding the World Cup to include 48 teams, instilling hope in nations that had seldom, if ever, reached the finals.
Infantino elaborated, “Football extends beyond Europe and South America; it’s a global phenomenon.”
“The fervent enthusiasm for football in a nation qualifying for the World Cup serves as the most potent catalyst, influencing the nine months preceding both qualification and the finals.”
However, this “football fever” has been somewhat dampened following the release of ticket prices.
While the players will be present, the cost of tickets could potentially exceed wages.
Consider Haiti, one of the world’s most economically disadvantaged countries. The average monthly salary in the Caribbean nation hovers around $147 (£110).
The most affordable tickets for Haiti’s inaugural World Cup match in 52 years, against Scotland, are priced at $180 (£135).
Attending all three matches – including those against Brazil and Morocco – would incur a cost of $625 (£467), surpassing four months’ salary for the average Haitian, merely for admission.
A similar scenario unfolds in Ghana, where the average monthly salary approximates $254 (£190).
Ghanaian supporter Jojo Quansah conveyed to BBC World Service that fans may be compelled to cancel their plans.
“It’s disheartening for those who have diligently saved over the past three-and-a-half years, aspiring to experience their inaugural World Cup,” he remarked.
“Fifa’s decision to expand the number of participating teams aimed to grant more smaller footballing nations the opportunity to be represented alongside their fans.”
“However, this ambition is overshadowed by pricing those very fans out of attending their country’s World Cup matches.”
“I anticipate that a significant number of individuals will, regrettably, abandon their aspirations of attending the next World Cup within the coming months.”
Other nations may witness their fans priced out as well.
Any fan wishing to support their team from the opening match to the final – should they progress that far – will incur a minimum ticket expense of £5,200.
Then there’s the matter of travel. For an England supporter planning to attend the group stage, current prices indicate that flights from London to Dallas, then to Boston, followed by New York/New Jersey, and finally back home, amount to £1,300. An additional £526 must be factored in for the most affordable match tickets.
The costs escalate considerably for those seeking to attend the entire tournament. Assuming England wins Group L, they would need to travel from Atlanta to Mexico City and then to Miami, with those two flights alone costing £800.
Flights across the tournament could reach £2,600. With the addition of the cheapest match tickets, the total expense amounts to £7,800.
What about Scottish fans traveling from Glasgow? Flights for the group stage would cost £1,675 each, with an additional £500 for the lowest-priced ticket bracket.
If Scotland were to emerge victorious in Group C, flights through to the final would amount to £2,357, bringing the total expenditure, including tickets, to £7,567.
These prices are current as of today. Many supporters would hesitate to book flights for the knockout stages before confirming their travel requirements, at which point the costs could escalate significantly.
Paul Clegg (61), from Blackburn, states: “This will be my fifth World Cup; I haven’t missed a game since 2014.”
“I maintain contact with England fans across the country; I’m a seasoned attendee.”
“We’re all planning to boycott games after the group stage.”
“Football is dead.”
Anne-Marie Carr (54), from York, remarks: “I’ve diligently attended England matches to earn the caps required for major tournament tickets, only to find that I, like many others, am being priced out.”
“WC 26 will be reserved for a select few, sponsors, and glory hunters with the financial means to attend the prominent matches as they unfold.”
Katie, from Glasgow, exclaims: “Purchase a ticket? You must be joking!”
“These prices are not intended for genuine fans but rather for corporate entities, dignitaries, and sponsors. Authentic fans cannot afford these inflated prices.”
Ian, from Glenrothes, comments: “I’m unsure why anyone is surprised.”
“One of the reasons I’m not attending, despite my desire to see my country at a World Cup, is the presence of too many practical obstacles.”
“Airline and hotel profiteering, coupled with these exorbitant ticket prices.”
“It’s not for me!”
Every nation vying to host the World Cup must present its case encompassing stadiums, sustainability initiatives, and ticket pricing.
The global landscape has undergone significant transformation since the United States, Mexico, and Canada outlined their plan in 2017.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exerted considerable inflationary pressure worldwide, albeit not to this extent.
In fairness, ticket prices for the group stage have not increased dramatically. For matches such as Scotland versus Haiti ($180), the prices for the cheapest tickets align with the $174 stipulated in the bid document.
It is for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final that Fifa has substantially increased prices.
Category three tickets for the final were initially proposed at $695 (£520). Adjusted for inflation, this would amount to $890 (£666). However, Fifa is now charging $4,185 (£3,119).
The Super Bowl, the culmination of the NFL season, stands as the premier sporting event of the year in the United States.
Super Bowl tickets are not directly available to the general public but can be acquired through official resale platforms.
According to Forbes,, external tickets for the 2025 Super Bowl started at approximately £3,500 to £5,000 each.
The NBA Finals in basketball are not priced as highly. Last year, tickets for the Oklahoma City Thunder started at £52 in the upper tiers of their Paycom Center as they secured their first NBA Championship.
Outside of sports, tickets for next year’s WWE Wrestlemania in Las Vegas are available for between £250 and £1,000.
While musician Taylor Swift’s highly successful Eras Tour tickets at US venues were typically priced between £37 and £335 each, the resale market saw tickets priced well above £1,000.
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