Following yesterday's announcement of $60 'Supporter Entry Tier' tickets amid pricing backlash, FIFA has specified allocations for loyal fans across all 104 matches and added knockout-stage fee waivers, though critics say it's insufficient.
FIFA's new Supporter Entry Tier, representing 10% of each national association's allocation (roughly 400-1,000 tickets per team per match, or <1% of stadium capacity), targets 'loyal fans closely connected to their national teams'—such as those attending qualifiers or domestic games. Federations will distribute them; for example, England gets 402 for its opener against Croatia (out of 4,022 total), while Scotland receives 388 versus Haiti.
This addresses initial backlash, where group-stage tickets started at $140 (non-host games) and final tickets at $4,185—far above Qatar 2022's $1,600 top price. Fan groups like American Outlaws and Football Supporters Europe called prices 'extortionate,' with following a team to the final costing at least $6,900 via associations, plus travel and U.S. scalping risks.
American Outlaws' Whitney Zaleski emphasized rewarding grassroots loyalty, while president Brian Hexsel called it 'too little too late.' Football Supporters' Association's Tom Greatrex warned high prices undermine the atmosphere. FIFA waived administrative fees for knockout applications if teams exit early.
With over 20 million requests, FIFA deems this 'the right thing to do' for its 211 members. Critics persist, noting limited impact amid the tournament's June 11-July 19 run across the US, Canada, and Mexico with 48 teams.
