FIFA has introduced a new $60 (about Sh7,734) ticket category Tuesday for the 2026 World Cup, responding to fan outrage over high prices by offering limited discounted seats to loyal supporters of qualified teams.
The “Supporter Entry Tier” covers all 104 matches of the expanded 48-team tournament, including the final, and makes up 10% of each national association’s ticket allocation.
Participating Member Associations (PMAs), which represent competing nations, will distribute these tickets and set criteria to prioritize fans with strong ties to their teams.
FIFA said half of each PMA’s overall allocation will now be in affordable categories: 40% in the Supporter Value Tier and 10% in the new entry tier. The remaining 50% splits evenly between standard and premier tiers.
Fans applying through PMA programs whose teams exit early can get refunds without administrative fees.
The announcement follows sharp criticism of ticket costs for the June 11-July 19 event across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Critics say move falls short
Football Supporters Europe director Ronan Evain called it “a step in the right direction” but “clearly not sufficient.”
He highlighted price gaps, noting that following a team to the final in the cheapest general category could cost around $480, while better seats jump to $6,900 — a 15-fold difference for nearby sections.
Evain also criticized lack of transparency, as FIFA imposes no binding rules on PMAs for distribution, and most do not publicize exact numbers.
For teams like England, estimates suggest only about 400 entry-tier tickets per group match.
Evain raised concerns for disabled fans, saying the cheapest path to the final exceeds $7,000, with full-price companion seats potentially doubling costs to $14,000.
Despite the backlash, FIFA reported robust demand, with 20 million ticket requests in the current random selection draw phase that opened Dec. 11 and runs through Jan. 13.
The phase follows release of the full schedule and venues.
FIFA emphasized the new tier aims to support traveling fans, while noting revenues fund global football development.
