FIFA to increase availability of World Cup tickets for every match
FIFA is releasing additional World Cup tickets following backlash from some supporters due to the introduction of new, higher-priced categories.
The governing body of soccer announced on Tuesday that it will offer more tickets starting at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday for all 104 matches in Categories 1, 2, and 3, along with the newly introduced “front category” pricing that was added this month.
The introduction of the new category led to online grievances from fans who expressed concerns that the premium seats in the categories they had purchased were not made available, resulting in assignments to less desirable locations.
In December, FIFA commenced ticket sales with prices ranging from $140 for Category 3 in the initial round to $8,680 for the final, subsequently increasing prices to as high as $10,990 when sales resumed on April 1.
FIFA did not provide a response to a request for comment regarding the new ticket categories made on April 9.
Additionally, on Tuesday, The Athletic reported that ticket sales are falling short for the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. A document shared with local organizers, dated April 10, indicated that 40,934 tickets had been sold for the U.S.-Paraguay match and 50,661 for the Iran-New Zealand game on April 15. FIFA estimates the World Cup capacity at SoFi Stadium to be approximately 69,650, although this figure may be subject to change.
FIFA’s December ticket sale listed prices for U.S.-Paraguay tickets at $1,120, $1,940, and $2,735, while Iran-New Zealand seats were priced at $140, $380, and $450.
