FIFA slashes price of some World Cup tickets to $60 after global fan backlash

In Canada, the discounted tickets will be C$80.

Canada Soccer’s allocation for Canada’s matches at the tournament is eight per cent of the “purchasable inventory,” distributed across different price categories.

With a tournament capacity of 45,000 for BMO Field and 54,000 for B.C. Place Stadium, eight per cent translates to 3,600 and 4,320, respectively. But the number available for Canadians via Canada Soccer’s CanadaRed lottery will likely be smaller, with tickets earmarked for FIFA, sponsors, media and premium hospitality packages cutting into inventory.

The “Supporter Entry Tier” will only make up 10 per cent of the Canada Soccer allotment, meaning there would only be 360 and 432 discounted tickets for Canadian games in Toronto and Vancouver and that’s assuming a full inventory.

There is no need for another draw to decide who gets the cheap seats.

Canada Soccer has decided they will go to the Voyageurs supporter group with Canada Soccer working with Voyageurs leadership to decide how they are allocated.

The latest FIFA ticket draw offered tickets for Canada’s June 12 opening game in Toronto at C$1,300, $2,2025 and $3,035. Tickets for the subsequent June18 and 24 games in Vancouver were C$370, $700 and $980.

FIFA says half of the tickets allocated to participating member associations will fall within the “most affordable range” — the Supporter Entry Tier (10 per cent) and Supporter Value Tier (40 per cent). The remaining allocation will be split evenly between the “Supporter Standard Tier” and the “Supporter Premier Tier.”

FIFA did not specify exactly why it so dramatically changed strategy, but said the lower prices are “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament.”

However, the Football Supporters Europe group, which represents grassroots fan groups, said the limited price cut was “an appeasement tactic due to the global negative backlash.”

“This shows that FIFA’s ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation,” the group said in a statement.

The World Cup in North America will be the first edition that features 48 teams — up from 32 — and is expected to earn FIFA at least $10 billion in revenue while being the most expensive ever for fans.

Despite the outcry over prices, FIFA says it has already received more than 20 million ticket requests in its latest sales phase.

The FSE group said that even with Tuesday’s announcement, “the vast majority would still have to pay extortionate prices, way higher than at any tournament before.”

Initial pledge for cheap tickets

Fans worldwide reacted with shock and anger last week on seeing FIFA’s ticketing plans that gave participating teams no tickets in the lowest-priced category.

The cheapest prices ranged from $140 to $265 for group-stage games that did not involve co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico. The $265 games involve Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo and well-supported teams like Brazil and England.

FIFA had set those prices despite the co-hosts having pledged eight years ago — when they were bidding for the tournament — that hundreds of thousands of $21 tickets would be made available for games before the knockout rounds.

The hospitality program in modern NFL venues, and now managed in-house instead of outsourced to an agency, is expected to earn FIFA billions of dollars rather than hundreds of millions.

European criticism

Criticism from fans, especially in Europe, had been increasing for several months over plans for “dynamic pricing” plus extra fees on a FIFA-run resale platform — both features which are common in the U.S. entertainment industry but not to soccer fans worldwide.

Fan anger intensified last week when it became clear loyal supporters would have no access to the cheapest category tickets and that fans who wanted to reserve a ticket for all of their team’s potential games — through the final — would not get refunded until after the tournament.

In another climbdown Tuesday, FIFA said it would waive its administrative fees when refunds are made after the July 19 final.

Fans with disabilities

Even before the FIFA statement, the supporter group FSE called Tuesday for a rethink on World Cup policy for fans with disabilities.

It said FIFA’s resale platform was offering disability access seats at multiple times face value with no assurances those tickets actually would be sold to people with a disability. Those fans also can no longer get free tickets for companions as they could at the last World Cup in Qatar.

In Qatar, Infantino started an eve-of-tournament speech with a tirade at perceived critics of the host nation, FIFA and himself that included the line “today I feel disabled.”

“True inclusion requires action,” FSE said Tuesday, reminding Infantino of that speech. “It’s time for FIFA to move away from populistic statements and respect its own commitments.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

FIFA slashes price of some World Cup tickets to $60 after global fan backlash

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