The Football Supporters Europe (FSE) group has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission accusing FIFA of abusing its monopoly power by imposing “excessive ticket prices” and unfair purchasing conditions for the 2026 World Cup finals. In a joint action with Euroconsumers, the organisation argued that FIFA’s control over ticket sales has allowed it to set prices far beyond what would be acceptable in a competitive market. According to the complaint, the cheapest openly available tickets for the July 19 final now start at $4,185 — more than seven times the price of the least expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
The groups said FIFA’s pricing contradicts its own bid documents, which projected an average ticket price of $1,408 for the tournament. By comparison, the cheapest tickets for the UEFA Euro 2024 final were just 95 euros ($100). FSE also highlighted that the North American bid for the 2026 World Cup originally promised tickets starting at $21, yet the lowest-priced seats to go on sale have been $60, such as those for the Group J opener between Austria and Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California. Most tickets for matches involving major nations now cost at least $200.
FIFA has made nearly seven million tickets available for the expanded tournament, which will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Fans are limited to purchasing a maximum of four tickets per match and 40 tickets in total. However, prices for the most in-demand games have soared, and the official resale platform has seen some listings reach extraordinary levels. One category three seat for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was recently advertised for $143,750 — more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450.
FSE argues that such pricing practices exploit fans and violate EU competition rules, urging the European Commission to intervene. The complaint marks one of the most significant legal challenges FIFA has faced in relation to ticketing, as supporters’ groups push back against what they describe as increasingly inaccessible costs for the world’s biggest sporting event.
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