World Cup 2026: England fans fail to distribute tickets

A group of fans have said that “alarm bells should be ringing at FIFA” over the fact that England fans have not received all of their allocated tickets for next summer’s World Cup final and semi-final.

So far, the number of tickets allocated to England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) members exceeds the number of applications received, meaning that everyone who applies for a ticket to the final and semi-final is guaranteed to receive one.

The tournament’s pricing structure in the US, Canada and Mexico has been widely criticized, with around 90% of tickets for the final being made available to ESTC members at a cost of £3,094.

This has led to FIFA offering a limited number of tickets at £45, but the Football Supporters’ Association’s embassy says England fans not getting their allotment should be a concern.

The group said in a statement: “Although it is not surprising that the group stage matches witnessed a large turnout, as well as the potential great showdown in Mexico City in the round of 16, the numbers for the semi-finals and final speak for themselves.”

“The numbers reflect a fanbase that has been priced out, and some of the international game’s most loyal supporters are feeling completely let down.

“Alarm bells should ring when Participating Member Allocations, reserved for the most loyal fans, are not sold for any World Cup match.”

FIFA has come under fire because group stage tickets for next year’s World Cup cost up to three times as much as tickets for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Earlier this week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the prices, saying they reflected “absolutely crazy” demand from the public for tickets.

“We have between six and seven million tickets on sale, and in 15 days we received 150 million requests for tickets,” Infantino said.

“So, there are 10 million requests for tickets every day. This shows how powerful the World Cup is.”