Football Supporters Europe files complaint with European Commission, accusing governing body of abusing monopoly power to impose unfair purchasing conditions and prices far exceeding previous tournaments.
LAUSANNE — Football’s global governing body FIFA has been hit with a formal legal complaint over ticket pricing for the 2026 World Cup, with a leading supporters’ group alleging the organization is exploiting its monopoly to the detriment of European fans.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE), supported by Euroconsumers, filed the lawsuit with the European Commission on Tuesday, accusing FIFA of imposing “excessive ticket prices” alongside “opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes” for this year’s tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” FSE said in a statement.
The complaint centers on what the group describes as a dramatic escalation in costs for the expanded 48-team tournament, the first to feature 104 matches. The pricing disparity is most stark for the final, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
According to FSE, the cheapest openly available tickets for the final now start at $4,185 — more than seven times the cost of the cheapest ticket for the 2022 final in Qatar. By contrast, the cheapest tickets for the UEFA Euro 2024 final were available for just €95 ($100) .
The group also noted that FIFA’s own bid documents had projected an average ticket price of $1,408, a figure it said has been “left far behind” by current pricing.
While FIFA has made nearly seven million tickets available for the tournament, fans seeking access to matches involving leading nations face steep entry costs, with most tickets priced at a minimum of $200. The FSE further pointed to a broken promise from the original North American bid, which had suggested tickets would be available from as little as $21. The cheapest tickets currently on sale are for $60, for the Group J opener between Austria and Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California.
The resale market has added further fuel to the controversy. FIFA’s official resale platform listed a category three seat for the final at an astronomical $143,750 — more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450.
FIFA has not yet issued a response to the complaint. The European Commission will now review the filing to determine whether to launch a full investigation into the governing body’s ticketing practices.
