The European Supporters’ Federation (FSE) has filed a complaint with the European Commission against FIFA over the “exorbitant” ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup and the purchasing procedures, which they consider “opaque and unfair.”
Together with Euroconsumers, an organization representing consumers across Europe, the FSE accuses FIFA of “abusing its monopoly position,” according to a statement released by the organization.
In mid-December, the fan association had already urged FIFA to start talks to find a solution that would respect the “tradition, universality, and cultural significance” of the World Cup.
Now, the FSE has submitted the case under European competition law, arguing that FIFA used its monopoly in ticket sales to “impose conditions on fans that would never be accepted in a competitive market.”
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The FSE and Euroconsumers are demanding that the European Commission order FIFA to abandon its “dynamic pricing” policy, “freeze prices” at the levels announced in December for the next sales phase in April, and disclose the number of remaining tickets in each category at least 48 hours in advance.
The complaint cites “six specific abuses,” beginning with “exorbitant prices, higher than previous editions and above FIFA’s own estimates.”
According to the organizations, the cheapest tickets for the final currently start at $4,185 (€3,609), “more than seven times higher” than the ticket price for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
They also denounce “misleading advertising” for a group-stage ticket priced at $60, stating it was “virtually sold out before sales opened to the general public.”
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The organizations consider the sales rules opaque, alleging that “seat location, stadium layout, and even which teams will play are not guaranteed at the time of purchase.”
The complaint also rejects FIFA’s use of “aggressive selling techniques” and the 15% commission charged on ticket resale.
