Supporters organisation demands instant pause on World Cup ticket purchases

The supporters organisation Football Supporters Europe, known as FSE, urged FIFA on Thursday to suspend ticket sales for the upcoming World Cup, citing their excessively high prices.

FSE noted that tickets for the event, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, are nearly five times pricier than those for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

"Football Supporters Europe is shocked by the outrageously high ticket prices that FIFA has set for the most loyal fans attending next years FIFA World Cup," the representative group FSE stated.

These tickets, which are assigned to national associations and usually passed on via official fan clubs or reward schemes to the keenest supporters, have hit exorbitantly high figures, according to the group.

"From the details we have access to right now, for a fan to track their national team from the opening game all the way to the final, the bare minimum expense would be $6,900.

"We urge FIFA to pause ticket sales without delay, hold discussions with everyone affected, and reassess the pricing structure and allocation categories until an agreement is reached that honours the heritage, global reach, and cultural value of the World Cup."

FSE accused the World Cup planners of breaking pledges for more affordable pricing, referencing a 2018 bid proposal that mentioned tickets starting at $21.

"What happened to those affordable options?" the group questioned.

"According to that same bid document, the complete journey to the final in the lowest tier was meant to come to just $2,242. That commitment has vanished."