With the 2026 World Cup approaching, ticket prices continue to draw attention. FIFA has announced a new $60 fan ticket tier in an attempt to address fan criticism of high prices.

However, many voices point out that while this measure is symbolic, its effect on alleviating the overall ticket price burden remains limited. FIFA stated that the newly introduced $60 tickets will cover all 104 World Cup matches, including the final, but the number will be limited, representing only 10% of the ticket allocation for each participating member association (PMA).

In addition, PMA will provide 40% of the fan value tickets, so that each national association will have half of its tickets in the relatively low-priced range, while the remaining tickets will be allocated to the standard and premium ticket categories.

Ticket allocation will be the responsibility of each national football association, which will not only control the specific quotas but also have the autonomy to set allocation standards. FIFA emphasizes that low-priced tickets should be prioritized for loyal fans closely associated with their national teams, but has not established uniform guidelines for implementation.

FIFA will waive administrative fees for refunds to fans who purchased tickets through national associations but whose supported teams failed to advance to the knockout stages. Nevertheless, fan organizations remain strongly dissatisfied with the overall ticket pricing structure.

The European Football Fans Association (FSE) points out that even with the lowest ticket price, a fan following their team all the way to the final would still need to spend $480. Choosing a higher tier could see the cost skyrocket to $6,900. This means that the difference in spending between fans sitting in the same section of the stands could be as much as 15 times.

Furthermore, the transparency of ticket allocation and accessibility issues have also drawn criticism. FSE stated that most national associations do not disclose the number of their low-priced tickets, and even if disabled fans choose the cheapest option, the total cost, including accompanying seats, could still reach as high as $14,000, making it almost unaffordable.

Despite ongoing controversy over ticket prices, FIFA stated that the draw for the third phase of the World Cup still attracted a large number of fans after the match schedule, venues, and kick-off times were announced.