England WC Ticket Snub: FIFA Faces Alarm Over Fan Protest

by David Thompson - Sports Editor December 31, 2025

written by David Thompson - Sports Editor December 31, 2025

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2026 World⁣ Cup ticket Sales: Concerns Rise as England’s Loyal Fans ⁢Struggle to Afford Final & Semifinal Tickets

2026 World Cup Ticket Sales: Concerns rise as England’s Loyal Fans⁤ Struggle to Afford Final & Semifinal tickets

Dec 30, 2025, 09:18 AM ET

A fans’‍ group has said “alarm bells shoudl be ⁢ringing”⁢ at FIFA with England’s most loyal fans having so⁤ far failed to take up their full ticket allocation for next summer’s World Cup final and semifinal.

Around 90% of the tickets made available ⁤to members of the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) for the final will cost at least $4,185 (£3,094), and up to more than £6,400 for the most expensive ‍tickets.

An update to ESTC members ⁣on⁣ Tuesday‌ revealed the number of allocated tickets for the final and‌ semifinal‌ currently exceeds the ‌number of applications received,⁤ meaning as things stand everyone who has applied is guaranteed a ticket.

The application window closes on Jan.‌ 13.

Complaints over FIFA’s initial pricing policy‌ for tickets allocated to countries’ most loyal supporters lead‌ it to introduce a limited⁢ number at $60 (£44), amounting to ‌approximately 10% of the allocation.

What: Concerns over undersubscribed ticket allocations for the 2026 World Cup Final and Semifinal, specifically for England supporters.
⁢
Where: 2026 FIFA World Cup (USA,canada,Mexico). Focus ‌is on England’s allocation.
⁤ ⁣
When: Application window closes January 13, 2026. ⁢ Reported December 30, 2025.
Why it matters: Highlights potential issues with FIFA’s ticket⁤ pricing strategy, possibly excluding loyal fans ⁣and raising questions about accessibility.
‍
What’s Next: FIFA will assess ticket demand after the January 13 deadline. Potential adjustments to pricing or allocation strategies are possible.

David Thompson brings 14 years of comprehensive sports journalism experience to NewsDirectory3. He previously worked as a senior sports correspondent covering major leagues including NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA championships. His expertise includes player trades, team strategies, sports business, and emerging trends in athletic performance. David has exclusive relationships with coaches, players, and sports executives across multiple leagues.