FIFA has introduced a new “more affordable” ticket category for the 2026 World Cup, priced at $60 (£45) for all 104 matches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, according to agencies.
However, only 10% of the allocation for each country’s team will fall under this category, limiting the number of affordable tickets per game.
This move follows a wave of criticism after FIFA's initial pricing structure, where tickets for the final were priced at more than $4,000 (£3,000), with some fans facing more than $6,000 (£5,000) in costs to attend every match.
UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a post on X welcomed the new tier but urged FIFA to do more to make tickets affordable, saying they should not “lose touch with the genuine supporters who make the game so special".
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) in England called the move "scandalous" and "a step too far for many supporters..." criticising FIFA for not addressing the core issue of excessive ticket prices for most fans.
According to U.S. sports media company ESPN, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) echoed similar concerns, calling the change a “cynical attempt to deflect attention” rather than a genuine solution.
In a statement, FIFA said, "With demand in the current sales phase achieving 20 million ticket requests, FIFA has confirmed that fans of the national teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will benefit from a dedicated ticket pricing tier, which has been designed to make following their teams on football's greatest stage more affordable.
"The newly introduced Supporter Entry Tier will be available at the fixed price of $60 per ticket for each of the 104 matches, including the final," it added.
The new pricing model includes the $60 tickets in the "Supporter Entry Tier," aimed at loyal fans, and 40% of each country's allocation will fall under the "Supporter Value Tier."
The remaining 50% will be split between the "Supporter Standard Tier" and the "Supporter Premier Tier."
FIFA said that the decision was made unanimously, following meetings with football federations to address fan concerns.
As the 2026 World Cup draws closer, FIFA faces continued pressure to balance commercial success with the need to make the tournament more accessible to dedicated fans, with the affordability of tickets likely to remain a major point of contention.
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partne...
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialo...
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative...
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance...
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and...
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Estonia said on Tuesday (19 May) that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over its territory, in the latest reported airspace violation in the region amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Sweden has agreed to buy four naval frigates from France’s Naval Group in a deal worth more than $4 billion, as Stockholm moves to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained a 25-year-old man suspected of killing his two parents and injuring four other people, including his son, in a shooting in the southern city of El Ejido in Almeria province overnight.
European Union negotiators are expected to agree on Tuesday (19 May) on legislation removing import duties on U.S. industrial goods, in a move aimed at implementing last year’s trade agreement with the United States and avoiding higher tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment