Starmer urges Fifa to make world cup affordable for fans as ticket prices cross $4,185 — from $21 at bidding

Amid the ongoing chaos for the high prices of the Fifa World Cup, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday urged Fifa to go further and make the tickets affordable for the fans and keep the spirit of the game high.  

His comments come even after Fifa introduced a limited number of lower-priced tickets following pressure from national federations and supporters’ groups.

“I welcome FIFA’s announcement of some lower-priced supporters’ tickets,” Starmer wrote in a statement.  

“But as someone who used to save up for England tickets, I encourage FIFA to do more to make tickets more affordable so that the World Cup doesn’t lose touch with the genuine supporters who make the game so special,” he added further.  

Fifa World Cup 2026 will take place across North America, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

New York City Mayor-elect  Zohran Mamdani has also seized on the issue, pledging to appoint a “World Cup czar” to push FIFA to lower prices ahead of the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted across the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

“This is going to be me using my platform to speak up to FIFA at every opportunity,” Mamdani said Sunday on CBS News New York.

Fifa’s high ticketing worries fans as the global spectators will not be able to turn out due to the higher cost of tickets.  The governing body has faced particular criticism for its use of dynamic pricing, which allows ticket prices to fluctuate based on demand.

  Before a recent adjustment in prices, the lowest-listed tickets for any round were above $100, with no ticket for the final under $4,185.

Football Supporters Europe said it was “astonished by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated supporters for next year’s FIFA World Cup.”

“For the first time in World Cup history, no consistent price will be offered across all group-stage games,” the group said in a statement. “Instead, FIFA is introducing a variable pricing policy dependent on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the fixture.”