FIFA adds new $20 World Cup ticket tier after backlash over prices

ARLINGTON, Texas - Increased pressure over FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices has prompted the release of a whole new tier, going for only $60. 

With a massive worldwide demand for tickets, though, it may be hard to score even the affordable ones. 

New $60 World Cup tickets

FIFA says it’s already received 20 million ticket requests for the tournament, but it hasn’t come without some controversy. 

There’s been a lot of backlash from fans about how difficult it is to get tickets, as well as problems with the prices. 

The new tickets will make up 10 percent of each federation’s ticket allocations. 

The ticket draw is open until Jan. 13, and FIFA says that timing doesn’t improve your chances of getting tickets.

Consultant Dave Wakeman says the pressure from fans is what worked to change the game. 

What they're saying:

"While the United States may be a rich market, a lot of this World Cup's success will be dependent on people being able to travel to the United States from other countries. It will be dependent on people of all income levels being able to buy tickets," Wakeman said.

It’s called the Supporter Entry Tier, with a set price of $60, even including the final match. 

"Some people who may have been put off by the combination of ticket prices, travel prices, comment, accommodation prices, food and beverage and all those assorted prices may be more likely to take a pass on coming to the state," Wakeman said. 

How to get Supporter Entry Tier tickets

The catch? They won’t be available to the general public. Instead, they’ll be distributed by the national football federations. This distribution will be up to each club's discretion. 

"So I think it'll go on a country by country basis, probably depending on some of these European countries. Maybe it depends on how much they travel to support their club around the world. Maybe the US team would be about the amount of money you spend, like in different U.S. soccer matches or merchandise or supporter levels," Wakeman theorized. 

And while the tickets may be cheaper, access will depend on how each national federation decides who gets the tickets.

"Will there be infighting? I think that is, like, the nature of soccer fans, that there's always some sort of competition, even if it's a friendly competition," Wakeman said. 

So even getting a ticket might be one of the biggest wins of the 2026 World Cup. 

"I know that the competition to get traveling tickets just for any football club in Europe is pretty high. It's usually friendly, but who knows, for the world cup, it could be crazy," Wakeman said.