Fans threaten to boycott FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA after ticket prices soar up: 'The game is not dying, it's being sold'

Watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA is becoming a very expensive dream for football fans around the globe. FIFA has raised ticket prices for the tournament for the third month in a row, with some matches now costing a small fortune. The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest ever, with 48 teams playing across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Some World Cup tickets are now listed at $700 (Rs 63k approx), while a lower-tier seat for the final has jumped to $8,680 (Rs 7.8 lakh approx), nearly $2,000 more than in October. When FIFA first announced prices in September, tickets ranged from $60 (Rs 5k approx) for early group matches to $6,730 (Rs 6 lakh approx) for the final. However, dynamic pricing has made prices climb further.

FIFA has four ticket categories, with Category 1 being the most expensive. After the recent tournament draw, every nation now knows its group and possible route through the tournament. Following this, the ticket prices have jumped further, with fans now criticising FIFA for not putting a cap.

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Fans slam FIFA over ticket prices

England fans have been particularly shocked by the prices after they were informed by their association recently. The Football Association (FA) sent an email to the most loyal fans about the World Cup ticket prices on Thursday, following which they expressed outrage on social media.

Let’s hope the FA takes up the ticket price fight with Fifa on behalf of the thousands of England fans wanting to go to the World Cup. £5,000 for all eight games if* (*big if*) England reach final is unconscionable. It’s actually immoral. The FA can surely see that.

Thomas… pic.twitter.com/KaQGZix23t

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 11, 2025

FIFA deserve to have all World Cup matches played in half empty stadiums for their ticket prices. Absolutely, utterly, disgraceful.

— Duncan Wright (@dwright75) December 11, 2025

The World Cup 🏆 ticket prices are a joke.

A tournament in my home country, and fans can’t even afford to be part of it.

FIFA greed + American capitalism = football’s worst nightmare.

The game isn’t dying, it’s being sold. pic.twitter.com/QZDmJ3FoFr

— Albert Kim (@Albert_Kim2022) December 12, 2025

Ticket prices from the initial World Cup 2026 bid document, submitted by USA, Canada and Mexico, and published in 2018. Tickets as low as $21 and $31 are promised. Only semis and final above $1000. Where are these prices, FIFA?#TartanArmy 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 pic.twitter.com/4wDkMnpY35

— Barry Anderson (@BarryAnderson_) December 11, 2025

👏 Football Supporters Europe statement on the ridiculous World Cup prices. Calling on FIFA to halt sales immediately.

$7,000+ to follow your team to the final has to be paid in advance in February.

FIFA will only refund in July - minus a $10 refund fee per ticket! pic.twitter.com/3j1KO6oGiR

— Scotland’s Coefficient (@scotlandscoeff1) December 11, 2025

According to The Athletic, the cheapest tickets to watch England play Ghana and Panama are $220 (Rs 19k approx), while the lowest-category tickets for the opener against Croatia cost $265 (Rs 23k approx). Premium seats for the same match in Dallas Stadium will cost $700 (Rs 47k approx).

Prices rise even higher for the knockout stages. If England reach the quarter-finals, fans may need to pay $680 (Rs 61k approx), £756 ($1,015), or $1,440 (Rs 91k approx) for different seating categories. For the semi-finals in Atlanta or Dallas, minimum tickets are $920 (Rs 83k approx) with top seats over $3,170 (Rs 2.8 lakh approx).

If England make it to the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, category 3 tickets cost $4,185 (Rs 3.7 lakh approx), category 2 $5,575 (Rs 5 lakh approx), and category 1 a staggering $8,680 (Rs 7.8 lakh approx). By comparison, the most expensive Premier League season ticket costs £3,084 (Rs 3.7 lakh approx) for 18 matches.

The English Football Association shared pricing details with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC). It showed that buying tickets for every England game through to the final would cost £5,228 (Rs 6.3 lakh approx), not including travel and accommodation in the USA.

The FIFA ticket application window opened on December 11 and will run until January 13, 2026. Only 8 percent of tickets are allocated to national associations for their fans. Meanwhile, Germany’s football federation revealed that ticket prices for their fans range from $180 to $700 for group stage games, with the final costing between $4,185 and $8,680.