Keir Starmer has entered the dispute regarding FIFA’s pricing strategy for World Cup tickets. Recently, the football association introduced a new set of discounted World Cup tickets following public criticism. Initially, prices for England fans ranged from £200 for the Group opener with Croatia to over £4,000 for a seat at the World Cup final. However, FIFA has now committed to offering a selection of tickets at a fixed price of £45 for all matches at the upcoming tournament in the US.
Despite this adjustment, only a small percentage, approximately 10%, of tickets allocated to each nation will be available at the reduced rate. This means that only a limited number of tickets, in the hundreds rather than thousands, will be offered per match for each country.
The Prime Minister, a well-known football enthusiast, commended FIFA for introducing lower-priced tickets but cautioned that more could be done to ensure affordability for genuine supporters who contribute to the essence of the game. In a statement, Keir Starmer expressed appreciation for FIFA’s efforts in offering cheaper tickets but urged further actions to prevent the World Cup from becoming inaccessible to loyal fans.
FIFA’s decision to revise ticket pricing came after consultations with key stakeholders, including relevant football associations. This adjustment marks a significant improvement compared to the previous World Cup, where fans expressed concerns about the financial burden of attending the tournament in the US.
In a communication to all Participating Member Associations, FIFA announced the introduction of a Supporter Entry Tier, offering tickets at a fixed price of USD 60 for each of the 104 matches, including the final. These tickets will be specifically allocated to supporters of qualified teams, with the distribution process managed by the Participating Member Associations.
Furthermore, FIFA disclosed that 50% of each Participating Member Association’s ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable range, ensuring that a significant portion of tickets is accessible to loyal fans closely connected to their national teams. Additionally, fans whose teams do not progress to the knockout phase will have administrative fees waived for unsuccessful ticket applications.