December 11, (THEWILL) — Football Supporters Europe has demanded FIFA stop selling World Cup tickets through national associations, condemning what it describes as a “monumental betrayal” of tournament tradition.
Croatia’s football association published prices on Thursday showing tickets for their opening match against England starting at £198, eight times higher than equivalent seats at last summer’s European Championship in Germany. Premium seats behind the goals will cost £523, whilst standard second-tier tickets are priced at £373. Croatian supporters wanting tickets through to the final face bills ranging from £3,100 to £6,400, with English fans expected to pay even more due to premium pricing on their fixtures.
The European supporters’ organisation called the costs “extortionate” and “astronomical”, noting that the cheapest category may be unavailable to travelling fans since those seats are reserved for general sale under dynamic pricing. FSE has urged FIFA to consult all affected parties before continuing sales. When the United States, Canada and Mexico submitted their 2018 bid document, group-stage tickets were projected to range from just £16 to £240.
Resale markets have also seen dramatic inflation following last weekend’s draw and fixture release. Prices for matches involving Portugal and Argentina rose by nearly 300 percent on average, with one Portugal-Colombia group game increasing 514 percent between Thursday and Sunday afternoon.
A FIFA spokesperson stated that allocation percentages and seating distribution match previous tournaments, though prices show no comparison. The organisation maintains that revenue from the World Cup, which it describes itself operating on a not-for-profit basis, is reinvested across its 211 member associations globally.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
