FIFA has announced a major change to its World Cup ticket plan after a wave of criticism from fans worldwide, introducing a new low-cost option aimed at loyal supporters who follow their national teams.
Under the new approach, FIFA says $60 tickets will be available for every match at the expanded World Cup in North America. These tickets will be allocated to the national federations of the teams playing, and each federation will decide how to distribute them, with priority expected to go to long-time travelling fans who regularly attend home and away games.
FIFA is calling the new pricing option a “Supporter Entry Tier”, but the number of seats per match is expected to be limited, likely hundreds rather than thousands. Even so, the move is being seen as a significant retreat from the original pricing strategy that angered many supporters.
Why FIFA changed course
While FIFA did not give a detailed explanation for the dramatic shift, it said the lower prices are “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”
The decision follows criticism over:
- High minimum ticket prices for many matches
- Plans for dynamic pricing (prices rising based on demand)
- Additional charges linked to a FIFA-run resale platform
- Concerns that supporters reserving tickets across multiple potential knockout rounds would face delayed refunds
What sparked the backlash
Fans were especially frustrated when early ticketing details suggested that participating teams would not have access to the cheapest ticket categories, even for their most loyal supporters.
The controversy grew because during the tournament bid process years ago, the co-hosts publicly promoted the idea that very affordable tickets would be widely available — a contrast to the initial prices revealed in the latest plans.
FIFA also changes refund policy
Alongside the new supporter-priced tickets, FIFA also said it will waive administrative fees when refunds are issued after the final, scheduled for July 19.
What it means for fans
The new $60 tickets are a positive step for supporters who travel regularly, but availability will likely be tight. Most fans should still expect standard tickets to remain priced significantly higher, especially for high-demand matches.