Soaring World Cup ticket prices have prompted European fan groups to file a complaint against FIFA with the European Commission.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said “the cheapest openly available final tickets now start at $4,185,” roughly €3,400 — more than seven times the cost of the cheapest 2022 final ticket. FSE accused FIFA of “excessive ticket prices” and “unfair purchasing conditions,” calling the practices an “abuse of its monopoly position” that leaves loyal fans “with no other choice — pay up or lose out.”
Resale platforms such as Viagogo and SeatPick have listed single final-match seats for as much as €163,000 (about $190,000). Resale rules vary by host country: Mexico bans resale above face value for tickets bought domestically in local currency, while the United States and Canada generally have largely unregulated resale markets.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the high prices as a function of demand and “dynamic pricing,” which adjusts prices up or down depending on the match. FSE responded that dynamic pricing lacks safeguards and places no cap on extreme price rises.
Last year FIFA introduced $60 (€52) Category 4 tickets, making up 10% of each qualifying team’s allocation, with national associations responsible for distribution and prioritizing loyal supporters. FSE said those cheap tickets were so scarce that Category 4 inventory was “practically sold out before general public sales opened.” FSE also noted that FIFA’s bid documents projected an average ticket price of about $1,400 per seat — a figure now far exceeded.
Lobby group Euroconsumers joined FSE in urging the European Commission to step in, demanding interim measures to halt what they call exploitative practices before the 2026 tournament begins. The Commission confirmed receipt of the complaint and said it will assess the case under standard procedures. Although the World Cup will be held in North America, Brussels can intervene because FIFA’s ticketing practices affect European consumers. No deadline has been set for the review.
The 2026 World Cup, starting June 11, will be the largest yet, expanding to 48 teams and 104 matches. Despite the steep prices, demand remains high: FIFA said a recent sales phase recorded more than half a billion ticket requests for the expanded tournament.
Editor: Sean Sinico