• FIFA has announced a new $60 "Supporter Entry Tier" ticket for all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup.
• The new pricing comes after widespread criticism regarding existing ticket prices.
• Only 10% of tickets allocated to each qualified team will be in this affordable category.
• Football Supporters Europe called the move insufficient and emphasized that most tickets remain prohibitively expensive.
• Despite backlash, FIFA reports high demand with 20 million ticket requests for the tournament.

FIFA has unveiled a new ticket category priced at $60 for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, following extensive criticism over ticket pricing that some have labeled as "extortionate." This new "Supporter Entry Tier" aims to make matches more accessible for fans of the qualified national teams and will be available for each of the 104 matches, including the final, according to BBC, Reuters, and NPR.

The new ticket prices will represent 10% of each Participating Member Association's (PMA) allocation and will target "loyal fans" closely connected to their national teams. However, with criticism from supporter groups like Football Supporters Europe (FSE), who argue that these tickets do not address the underlying issues of unaffordable pricing, concerns about the overall accessibility of the tournament persist, as noted by Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and SCMP.

FIFA emphasized that half of each PMA’s ticketing allocation would consist of affordable tickets under both the Supporter Value Tier and the Supporter Entry Tier. Despite these announcements, FSE has expressed skepticism, suggesting that the limited availability will only benefit a handful of fans, while the majority will still face high prices, as reiterated by Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

Alongside the announcement, FIFA will waive administrative fees for fans whose teams do not progress past the knockout stages, providing some measure of protection against ticket costs. However, with ticket prices for premium seating reaching upwards of $8,680 for the final, many fans are still voicing dissatisfaction. This sentiment is echoed by various news outlets reporting on the vast differences in ticket pricing compared to previous tournaments, as highlighted in articles by BBC and Reuters.

Despite the criticism, FIFA reports an extraordinary demand for tickets, already reaching 20 million requests as of the latest sales window. This strong interest persists, suggesting a high level of enthusiasm among fans for the tournament scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to multiple sources including NPR, Le Monde, and SCMP.