World Cup ticket fury as fans blasted with ‘extortionate’ prices — and Scotland supporters face huge costs

Supporters hoping to follow Scotland to the 2026 World Cup are facing eye-watering ticket prices, with even the cheapest seats for the final costing several thousand pounds.

Fans’ group Football Supporters Europe says it is “astonished” by FIFA’s “extortionate” pricing strategy and has urged world football’s governing body to halt sales immediately.

Prices for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico are up to seven times higher than those charged in Qatar in 2022. The lowest-price ticket for the last World Cup final was £450. For 2026, the cheapest official supporters’ allocation for the final now sits at $4,185 (£3,300).

There are no concessions for children or any other groups, and for the first time group-stage tickets are being priced according to the “popularity” of teams rather than a flat rate. FIFA has offered no explanation of how that popularity is calculated.

That quirky approach means England fans will pay more than Scotland fans for group-stage games – but both sets of supporters are still being hit with unprecedented costs.

For England v Croatia on 17th June, tickets run at £198, £373 and £523. England v Ghana is £164, £320 and £447; England v Panama £164, £346 and £462.

Scotland’s first two group matches are cheaper, but still far beyond what most supporters expected. Haiti v Scotland is priced at £134, £298 or £372, while Scotland v Morocco costs £163, £320 or £447. The final group match against Brazil is priced at the same level as England v Croatia.

Knockout round prices escalate sharply. Quarter-final tickets are £507, £757 and £1,073, with semi-finals at £686, £1,819 and £2,363. The supporters’ PMA allocation for the final – where Scotland would appear only in the wildest of dreams – is priced at £3,300, £4,600, or £7,400+ depending on tier.

Following the entire tournament through to the final will cost a single supporter roughly:

• £5,225 for the cheapest available tier
• £8,580 for mid-range
• £12,357 for the highest tier

In Qatar, the equivalent route would have cost between £1,466 and £3,914.

Scotland Supporters Club allocation revealed

The Scotland Supporters Club has now received its official Participating Member Association allocations for each match. Tickets will be split into three categories:

• Supporters Premier Tier
• Supporters Standard Tier
• Supporters Value Tier

Members will receive access codes on Monday 15 December to begin applications through FIFA’s portal. The process is not first-come-first-served — a ballot will be held after the 13 January deadline if demand exceeds supply, with loyalty points determining priority.

Allocations include:

Group stage

• Haiti v Scotland: 3,889 tickets
• Scotland v Morocco: 3,889 tickets
• Scotland v Brazil: 3,736 tickets

Potential knock-out matches

• Round of 32: 3,000
• Round of 16: 3,000
• Quarter-final: 3,500
• Semi-final: 3,500
• Bronze final: 3,500
• Final: 4,500

Prices mirror the global controversy — value-tier seats for the group stage start at $180 (£140) and rise quickly, with premier-tier seats for the final hitting $8,680 (£6,900).

Concerns grow over accessibility and under-18 rules

Under-18s cannot apply for tickets themselves and must be included on an adult’s application. Accessible tickets are included within the allocation, but the Scottish FA says it still does not know how many accessible seats FIFA has actually provided.

There is no resale platform for tickets purchased within the Scotland PMA allocation.

Fan frustration rising across Europe

Football Supporters Europe says FIFA’s approach risks turning the World Cup into “an exclusive event for the wealthy”, warning that many families who have saved for years will be priced out completely.

With FIFA yet to explain how “team popularity” determines costs — and with early tickets already showing disparities between nations — pressure is growing on the organisation to justify the steepest prices ever seen for a men’s World Cup.

The ballot for the general public opened on Thursday afternoon, but supporters are already questioning whether they will be able to afford to follow their team at all.