FIFA faces legal battle as fans challenge ‘excessive’ 2026 World Cup ticket prices

Football Supporters Europe has escalated tensions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, launching formal legal action against FIFA over what it describes as ‘excessive ticket prices’ and unfair sales practices.

The complaint, filed with the European Commission in partnership with Euroconsumers, accuses FIFA of abusing its dominant position in ticket distribution.

At the centre of the dispute is the claim that football’s global governing body has created a system that disadvantages supporters, particularly those travelling from Europe to attend the tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Euroconsumers and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, alleging that the football body has abused its monopoly position to impose excessive ticket prices and opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes on European fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup,” the FSE said in a statement.

With nearly seven million tickets released for what will be the first 48-team World Cup, demand has surged sharply. However, critics argue that pricing has spiralled beyond reasonable levels. According to FSE, the cheapest publicly available tickets for the final have reached $4,185, a figure that dwarfs the entry price for the 2022 showpiece in Qatar. In extreme cases, resale listings have pushed prices into six-figure territory, highlighting what supporters see as a deeply flawed system.

“FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” the group added.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the pricing model, attributing fluctuations to demand-driven mechanisms. In particular, the use of “dynamic pricing” has drawn criticism for its lack of transparency and absence of limits, with fans often unable to determine final costs before entering purchase queues.

“FIFA used ‘variable pricing’, or dynamic pricing, with no cap and no transparency on how prices are set,” FSE said.

Although FIFA introduced a limited allocation of lower-priced tickets, starting at $60, these were restricted in availability and largely tied to national team allocations. Critics argue that such measures fall short of addressing broader accessibility concerns.