MIAMI — FIFA has reduced the price of some World Cup tickets after widespread criticism from fans, announcing that seats priced at US$60 will now be made available for every match at the 2026 tournament in North America.
The lower-priced tickets will be allocated to national soccer federations whose teams qualify for the tournament. FIFA said the federations will determine how the tickets are distributed, with priority given to loyal supporters who have attended previous matches both at home and abroad.
The move follows strong global backlash after FIFA’s initial ticketing plans revealed that participating teams would receive no tickets in the lowest price category. Under the original pricing structure, some fans could have been required to pay as much as US$4,185 for a seat at the World Cup final.
Fans around the world expressed anger and disbelief last week when ticket prices were made public. The least expensive tickets ranged from US$120 to US$265 for group-stage matches that did not include co-hosts the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
FIFA has faced particularly sharp criticism in Europe over its ticketing strategy, which includes the use of so-called dynamic pricing and FIFA acting as its own resale platform.