Bending ever-so-slightly to public pressure, FIFA announced Tuesday, Dec. 16 that a number of tickets to all matches at next year’s World Cup in North America will be made available for a discounted price of $60.
FIFA said it will distribute new ‘supporter entry tier’ tickets to national federations of the countries participating in the matches − and they will be allowed to distribute them to loyal fans who have previously attended their nations’ matches at home and on the road.
Fans throughout the world have expressed their displeasure with FIFA’s so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ and the fact that it also acts as its own resale platform. The cheapest tickets for group stage games that did not involve host nations Canada, Mexico and the U.S. ranged from $120 to $265, and from $4,185 to $8,680 for the July 19 championship match in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, prices ranged from $70 to $1,600 after the matches were announced.
FIFA said Tuesday it had received more than 20 million ticket requests during what it calls the ‘random selection draw’ phase, which began last Thursday following the confirmation of the full schedule of matches.