FIFA has made a rare U-turn on World Cup ticket pricing following a wave of global criticism, announcing a dramatic reduction aimed at making the tournament more accessible to loyal football fans.
Under the new decision, selected supporters will be able to attend matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for as little as 60 dollars, a sharp contrast to previous prices that soared as high as 4,185 dollars for a seat at the final.
The move marks an unusual climbdown by FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino, who have faced mounting backlash over escalating ticket costs and concerns that the World Cup was becoming increasingly unaffordable for ordinary fans.
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In a statement, FIFA confirmed that the 60-dollar tickets will be available for every match at the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tickets will be distributed through national football federations, which will be responsible for allocating them to “loyal supporters” — fans who regularly follow their national teams both at home and abroad.
Between 400 and 750 tickets per participating country will be made available under a newly introduced “Supporter Entry Tier,” a scheme FIFA says is designed to protect the presence of core fans at World Cup matches.
The 2026 edition will be the first expanded 48-team World Cup, spread across 16 host cities in North America. FIFA expects the tournament to generate at least 10 billion dollars in revenue, making it the most lucrative — and potentially the most expensive — World Cup in history.
Despite ongoing controversy over pricing and commercialisation, global interest in the tournament remains strong. FIFA reports that more than 20 million ticket requests were received during the most recent sales phase, underscoring the World Cup’s enduring appeal.
The latest price cut is likely to be welcomed by supporters worldwide, many of whom have long argued that football’s biggest event should remain accessible to the fans who give the game its global heartbeat.
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