FIFA President Gianni Infantino has robustly defended the soaring cost of tickets for the 2026 World Cup, attributing the high prices to unprecedented public demand for the tournament.
"Absolutely Crazy" Demand Justifies Costs, Says Infantino
The head of football's global governing body made his comments at the World Sports Summit in Dubai on Monday 29 December 2025. He revealed staggering figures to support his position, stating that FIFA received 150 million ticket requests in just 15 days after sales opened.
"We have six to seven million tickets on sale and in 15 days we received 150m ticket requests," Infantino explained. "So 10m ticket requests every single day. It shows how powerful the World Cup is."
He provided a striking historical comparison, noting that in nearly a century of World Cups, FIFA has sold 44 million tickets in total. "In two weeks we could have filled 300 years of World Cups. Imagine that. This is absolutely crazy," he concluded.
Ticket Price Hikes and Fan Backlash
Despite this justification, the ticketing strategy for the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has faced intense criticism. The most eye-watering cost is for the final, where the cheapest available seat is priced at over £3,000.
Comparisons with the last edition in Qatar reveal a steep increase, with group stage tickets costing three times more. The Football Supporters' Association has branded the 2026 pricing as "scandalous".
The controversy forced FIFA's hand, leading to the introduction of capped-price tickets for some supporters of the competing nations. However, for many fans, especially those travelling from the UK, the expense remains prohibitive.
Impact on British Fans and Home Nations
The cost burden is acutely felt by British supporters. Scotland, qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998, will see their Tartan Army face enormous bills to follow the team. Official travel packages, such as those offered by Qatar Airways Holidays, start from £8,000 for trips to Massachusetts and Miami, where Scotland will play their three group games.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke has publicly urged fans not to rack up debt to support the team in North America.
The other home nations are also in the frame:
- England are set to play Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in Arlington, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
- Wales and Northern Ireland each retain a chance to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament if they win their upcoming play-off matches.
As the debate continues, the clash between FIFA's commercial strategy and fan accessibility looks set to define the build-up to the 2026 World Cup.
