ZURICH, Switzerland — In a move intended to address concerns over tournament accessibility, FIFA announced on Tuesday the introduction of a limited $60 “Supporter Entry Tier” for the 2026 World Cup.
The governing body stated that these discounted tickets will be available for all 104 matches, including the final, as it seeks to make the event more affordable for the most dedicated followers of qualified nations.
These entry-level tickets will constitute 10% of the allocations granted to Participating Member Associations (PMAs).
These associations, which manage their own fan programs, will be responsible for the distribution process and establishing criteria to reward their most “loyal fans.”
According to an official statement from football’s governing body:
“In total, half of each PMA’s ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable categories: 40% under the Supporter Value Tier and 10% under the new Supporter Entry Tier. The remaining allocation will be split evenly between the Supporter Standard Tier and the Supporter Premier Tier.”
To protect fans financially, FIFA also confirmed that administrative fees for refund requests would be waived for those whose teams fail to reach the knockout stages.
Advocacy groups call measures ‘insufficient’
The announcement follows intense pressure from groups like Football Supporters Europe (FSE), who recently labeled FIFA’s broader pricing structure as “extortionate.” While the $60 tier offers some relief, FSE director Ronan Evain told Reuters that the measure was “clearly not sufficient.”
Evain highlighted a staggering price gap within similar seating sections. He noted that while a fan could reach the final for $480 under category four, category three prices could soar to $6,900. This disparity means one fan “sitting in the same section” as another could potentially pay 15 times more.
The FSE also raised transparency concerns regarding how PMAs handle their specific quotas.
“FIFA doesn’t provide any guidelines or obligations for the PMAs. They have the freedom to choose how they distribute the tickets,” Evain stated.
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Concerns regarding fans with disabilities were also brought to the forefront. Evain noted that for these supporters, the financial burden remains immense:
“The cheapest they can get all the way to the final is $7,000 and they also must pay full price for companion seats, meaning that following a team to the final could cost $14,000.”
Despite these criticisms, FIFA reports that global interest remains high. The third phase of the ticket sales draw, which opened on December 11 and runs through January 13, 2026, has seen strong engagement following the release of the official match schedules and venues across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
FIFA reiterated that PMAs have been requested to ensure that these newly discounted tickets are “specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams.”
