FSE report FIFA to European Commission over World Cup ticket pricing
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) – the umbrella organisation for European football fans, to which the Fulham Supporters’ Trust are affiliated – have this afternoon filed a complaint against FIFA alongside a consumer association regarding its World Cup ticketing prices.
This summer’s finals, in Canada, Mexico and the United States, will be the most expensive for matchgoing fans in the history of the tournament, with the cheapest available final tickets priced at $4,185 – more than seven times the cost of the cheapest ticket at the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the implementation of surge pricing last month.
The FSE and Euroconsumers have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, alleging that the game’s governing body has abused its monopoly to impose excessive ticket prices alongside opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes.
The two organisations have provided evidence on six major areas of concern: sky-high prices, advertising for extremely rare $60 dollar tickets (so-called ‘bait advertising’ illegal under EU law), uncontrolled surge pricing, lack of transparency on what fans are getting for their money, pressure sales tactics and FIFA getting paid twice via its in-house resale platform.
The executive director of the FSE, Romain Evan, said:
“For several months now we have urged FIFA to do right by fans and reconsider its aggressive and exploitative ticketing policies. FIFA’s failure to engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders yet again has left us with no option but to join forces with Euroconsumers in filing this complaint with the European Commission.
FIFA point to their unconfirmed sales figures as validation of their unfair ticket practices, while the reality is they leave loyal fans with no other choice – pay up or lose out.”
Euroconsumers, who have led legal action against dynamic pricing on the continent, are asking the European Commission to intervene immediately with interim measures to halt these exploitative practices before the 2026 tournament begins.
The head of litigation at Euroconsumers, Marco Scialdone, added:
“Football is a universal passion, but FIFA is treating it like a private luxury by exploiting its absolute monopoly over World Cup ticketing. By imposing opaque pricing, dark patterns to pressure buyers and exorbitant resale fees, FIFA is placing an unfair financial burden on millions of European fans.”
The Football Supporters’ Association said:
“We totally agree with FSE that FIFA’s ticket pricing policy is excessively expensive and unfair on fans who want to follow their team at the World Cup. England supporters allocated the Category 3 tickers – one of the “cheaper” options – will have to pay $7,020 should the Three Lions reach the final.
From the much-vaunted $60 tickets which barely exist to charging disabled supporters 38 times more than Qatar, what should be a global celebration has become a FIFA cash cow. We back FSE’s call on FIFA to stop using dynamic pricing models, freeze upcoming sale prices, show more respect for consumer rights and be more transparent on ticketing data.”
