FIFA has unveiled a new cut-price ticket category for the 2026 World Cup following widespread criticism over soaring ticket costs.
The governing body announced on Tuesday that $60 tickets will now be available for every match of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These discounted tickets will be allocated to participating national federations, which will decide how to distribute them to loyal supporters, including fans with a history of attending home and away matches.
The supply of these tickets is expected to be in the hundreds per match—not the thousands—as part of what FIFA has labelled the “Supporter Entry Tier.”
FIFA did not directly explain the sharp shift in pricing strategy, but said the new tier is intended to “support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams instead of 32 and is projected to generate more than $10 billion in revenue. Fans reacted with outrage last week after discovering that participating nations had not been allocated tickets in the lowest-priced category. Group-stage games not involving the host nations USA, Canada, and Mexico carried minimum prices between $120 and $265.
The new measure follows discussions with several member associations, including the English FA and the German federation.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “Fans of the national teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will benefit from a dedicated ticket pricing tier designed to make following their teams more affordable. The Supporter Entry Tier will be available at a fixed price of $60 for each of the 104 matches, including the final.”
